Freedom to Live

Romans 6

2011-10-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

1. 1, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Shall we continue sinning, so that we can come to God and confess our sins, so He can forgive us and we can resolve not to do it again, only to slip up again and sin again, so that we can confess it to God and so he can forgive us and we can resolve to not to do it again and continue in this cycle of sinning?

Indictment. There were Jews that followed Paul causing trouble, contradicting him, spreading false accusation, confusion, physical harm, setting doubt in hearers of Paul. They were accusing him of a teaching that you can continue sinning because you have an appointed, accredited, accounting type righteousness. That you’re not really righteous, you don’t do righteousness, you can continue in sin and still get to heaven because you have a clerically righteousness? That you don’t have to be obedient and not sin because you have this clerical, appointment of righteousness? And, that where the sin abounds, as you heap up your sins and the floodwaters of the damn of judgment rise to heaven, the grace of God covers that higher pile even more. The Jew would stand justified within himself in calling this belief system heretical. He would stand confident that the law was far superior and holds righteous standards and accountability by right doing. He would point to Paul’s heresy and say see your method of salvation is inferior to the law. As the law is the highest moral standard and God would never contradict himself nor wink at sin. That would be unjust and God would stand indicted.

2. 2, God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

a. Paul answers the indictment. God forbid (Gk: mē ginomai – mē=primary particle of qualified negation; ginomai=be ended, to be done, be finished or ended. Tense: 2 Arorist [expressing time:past, present, future] indefinite. Voice [expression: Middle Deponent [passive termination]. Mood: Optative- this is an example of a special case where the verb stands apart from conditional clause to express the strongest possible wish regarding an event). This is the strongest objection in the greek language. In grammer, God is the subject and forbid is the verb making a complete thought. God is the one doing the forbidding, there is no one higher the ultimate authority doing the forbidding. A weaker reading would be to “forbid it” or “let it never be”. The reason for the strength is that Paul wants to underline the eternal opposition and objection to such an indictment.

b. Dead to sin. Paul speaks of a state of being “dead to sin”. Not dead in sin, but dead to sin. This defines my relationship to sin. It is a reality that God expects us to live in. Not ought to be dead, not should be dead, not a theoretical or hypothetical death but an actual death. This reality defines my reality, my relationship and my response to sin.

c. How do I covercome sin? In the reality of your being dead to sin and resurrected to new life with Christ.

d. The bible did not stop with a theoretical salvation where positionally I’m saved and forgiven but practically and conditionally (in my condition) I am still a slave to sin.

3. 3, Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

a. Baptism. What is baptism, how many were there, is it water, what does being baptized in Christ mean? Baptism occurs some 91 times in the NT. Having examined each of them, they were classified into five categories. Water, Holy Ghost, Repentance, Death, Names (Christ, Moses etc.).

b. It is an emersion. Like today’s meaning. The politician was baptized by fire. The married couple had their baptismal yesterday…meaning they had a fight. The baptism is a word picture to explain what happens when Christ enters in and sanctifies me, makes me holy. Holiness itself entering into the man of God. It is a spiritual experience, not water. I am immersed into Christ and he in me. We join into a relationship through emersion yet distinct from eachother. This is as intimate as one can possibly be.

c. How many baptisms were there? There are actually 5 baptisms only one of them is dealing with water?

d. 3 elements in baptism. The Baptiser, baptisee and the medium in which they are baptized. When we are baptized into Christ = Another Christian, Baptisee=one who put his faith in Christ, Medium = Faith. John’s Baptism: Baptiser=John, Baptisee=the penetant, medium=water. Christ’s death: Baptiser is God, baptisee is a born again Christian, the medium is Christ’s death.

4. 4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

a. Therefore, since this event has already taken place in my history, the declarative: I am buried with him by baptism into his death.

b. Christ raised. Like as Christ died, was buried, and rose again to new life, so am I. As Christ died, I died too. As Christ was buried, so was I. And as Christ was raised from the dead, alive unto God and sits resurrected and seated on the right hand of the Father and the throne. Even so we should account in like manner. In the same way and in the same reference to my reality.

5. 5, For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

a. Like being planted together and growing together; like two brothers growing up or two sisters, so we shall be also in respect to his resurrection. That as Christ is risen and alive, so am I. That I have been raised up from this body of corruption. That I have ascended into the heavenlies and was seated with Christ. Like as Christ is alive and has overcome the world, the flesh and the devil, so am I as ascended, as seated and raining in power and victory over the world the flesh and the devil and all by faith.

6. 6, Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

a. Knowing this. Having this be the reality in which I live; the ground beneath my feet and the air that I breathe. That our old man IS, not ought to be, IS not in type or theoretically or hypothetically but IS crucified. My execution is a reality in which I call “that which be not as though it were.” There are things that we know, things that we don’t know and things that we don’t know that we don’t know. This is something that God expects us to KNOW. And that the knowing would be the centerpiece of our relationship to sin. Paul is not encouraging us to do something, not prompting us to do something, he’s encouraging us to reflect and remember something that is already taken place. This is a statement of fact. Knowing this, having this as a statement of fact that has already transpired in my history. He is assuming that all Christians know this. Not telling us to do something.

b. Old Man. He’s not talking about your father, he’s talking about the man that used to be you. The man that Christ put to death and IS no more. That man in which sin dwelled, that man in which sin found it’s expression, whatever that thing of sin was, it was executed, put to death and destroyed. That henceforth we should not serve it, Why? Because it’s dead.

i. Note: It is necessary to do expository on this term due to the confusion and miscommunication and vast amount of misleading materials. The term Old Man only occurs 4 times in scripture. The old man is not something that exists with the new man. It doesn’t share the same body, it doesn’t compete for command and control of the new man. It is not the spirit, it is not the soul nor the body. It is that thing which you feed, bathe and pamper. It is that thing which constitutes all that the you were before getting baptized into Jesus Christ. It is not a specific part, but the whole. That was put to death with Christ.

ii. Luk_1:18, And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

iii. Rom_6:6, Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

iv. Eph_4:22, That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

v. Col_3:9, Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

c. What was Crucified. Whatever sin is, that body of sin is, it is at least that thing where sin dwells where sin grows, where sin is fed, where it meets it expression, that thing called the body of sin was destroyed. The results of that being crucified and being destroyed is that henceforth we should not server sin.

7. 7, For he that is dead is freed from sin.

a. Not ought to be, not should be, not in type or hypothetical but actual. Paul is even asked the question: Paul you say that your body is dead but I still see your body here, what gives? Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ, nervertheless, …

b. He is assuming that this is the condition of all believers. That all believers are dead and freed from sin. This is a fact.

8. 8, Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

a. Assuming that these things be true, my death is a history in my reckoning and my resurrection is yet future. I live in a state of anticipation of the fulfillment of this promise. Knowing that it is true, mine and settled in my future history, I look for the adoption when my adopting father comes and takes me by the hand and leads me home to live with him forever. Where joy will be my new home and sanctuary.

9. 9, Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

a. Knowing this, that Christ’s experience is my experience. That experience I have been placed into by a spirit baptism. That Christ died unto sin; it no longer has power over him, that’s true for me too.

10. 10, For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

a. Christ died one time, not annually like Yom Kippur (The Atonement), not bi-annually, monthly, weekly or even daily. He died one time and then was seated at the right hand of the father. Heb 12:1-2 READ. The priest would NEVER sit in the temple (remember the altar is before the throne). There were no chairs, no loitering places, no starbucks. It was a place of serving continually, you would never sit before the king upon penalty of death. Jesus’ sitting down by Levitical law would be a statement that the work is finished. Jesus’ last words on the cross were “it is finished”.

11. 11, Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

a. In like manner, in the same way that Christ died unto sin once and now lives unto God; in the same way that I died once with Christ and live with Him by baptism into this experience. Reckon, calculate, affirm. That the SEAT, the FOUNDATION, the AUTHORITY, the METHOD by which a Christian stops sinning and never sins again, by which a Christian has power over all temptation over all sin, is based upon the fact that a Christian is DEAD to sin just as Christ is dead and is just as ALIVE as Christ is alive and is as FREED from sin as Christ is freed from sin. THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD. This is what it says; this is God’s verdict and judicial gavel on the subject. There is no second opinion, no test drive, no trial period. It is the final word on sin and my relationship with it.

b. Experience. You should not argue this from your experience, mine or what you see or don’t see in me. It is the reality by which God expects us to live.

c. Word of God. We must either believe the word as it is written or dismiss the word as it is written. If we find that it is ridiculous or preposterous then we can dismiss it and go back to some other form of sanctification. Let’s not try to modify, or tamper with it. Either we accept it as it is written or we dismiss it as it is written.

d. Overcoming. The basis for which we are free from sin is that as Christ is dead, buried and alive, so are we in the same measure, same kind, and same degree indeed.

12. 12, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

a. Praise God that we now have the power to “let not” and the power to “yield not”.

b. This is the first time Paul is actually telling us to do something. Before he was only asking us to know something. And even that knowing was something that he expected that they already knew.

c. Reign. The state of a man without Christ is that sin reigns in his mortal body. The lusts of his flesh have dominion and rule. He follows his carnal lusts whether they be in the mind or flesh. If he doesn’t commit adultery it’s because it is to his advantage and happiness. He doesn’t want to risk losing his wife and children or esteem or extended family or bare the shame. But sin will eventually play out in his life experience. Man must either obey or disobey his fleshly appetites, his lusts in his flesh. There are three flavors of sin, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. All cater to the fleshly, carnal experience. All sin’s revolve around these variants.

d. God expects us to believe things that aren’t as though they were. Why? 1) Because it happened in Christ and God declares it so, 2) Something happens outside the realm of the visual, the evidential, like divine healing the power of God is realized in our experience. Col 2:12 calls it the operation of God; Phil 2:13 calls it the work of God; 2Pet 1:3 calls it the divine power to live godly.

13. 13, Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

a. Members. Members are your eyes, ears, feet, sexual organs.

b. Yield. There must be a yielding in order to sin. There must be a giving way, an allowing, a conceding ground. God says we can “let not” and “yield not”. If it were not true but just a pretend sanctification, God would be a liar. He would be cruel in his expectation and demand to believe this gospel and live it out in our experience. It would be a lie and not only would God stand indicted, but mankind would stand in opposition by a failed faith and not overcoming. However, this sanctification, this overcoming sin, is expressed by the same act of faith that saved and is the same act of faith that overcomes. God did not leave us with an impractical theoretical salvation that had no provision, no way to overcome, but left us with the Power of God, like divine healing that when sin’s temptation raises it’s ugly head from the dead, I declare I am dead to sin, buried with Christ and am a resurrected, seated, son of God reigning in power, and glory and victory over the world, the flesh and the devil by faith.

c. Alive from the dead. Eph 2:1 “and you who were dead in trespasses and sin…”; Col 2:13 “and you being dead in your sins…”. Remember that without God, I am dead. That before they knew Christ, they were considered dead by God. What changed, God came into them. Yes, the were justified, but now they crossed over from death unto life by way of life entering into the man. Life itself making resident in him. Jn 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the LIFE, no man comes to the Father but by me.” 1Jn 5:12 “ he that hath the Son hath LIFE, he that hath not the Son hath NOT LIFE.”

14. 14, For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

a. Not sin ought not have dominion, not might not, it is not typological. It is a SHALL NOT, like the SHALL NOT’s of the TEN COMMANDMENTS. It carries the same authority, the same magnitude and degree as the law. This word of God is the prescription for overcoming sin. It is the only remedy provided by God so that the Christian man or woman can overcome sin and live in righteousness all their days until death.

15. 15, What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

a. Paul is still answering the indictment in the background to his Jewish opposition. Remember they believed that he was promoting a promiscuous doctrine that people could go on sinning without accountability or responsibility to their creator.

b. Again there is that strongest objection just like in V1 at the beginning of the chapter.

c. In other words, when I died with Christ it released me from the law that bound me in the flesh. Now with my new found freedom from the law, shall I continue sinning because I’m not bound to the law but am under the grace of God? Shall we take advantage of the grace, the forgiveness of sins and therefore indulge ourselves because God will forgive us right? Paul answers this indictment yet another time. God Forbid. Remember the etymological study of this phrase revealed it to be the strongest objection in the Greek.

16. 16, Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

a. Two Know ye not’s. After both of these indictments, Paul responds with a “know ye not”. In other words, how can this be true, don’t you know something… There was something Paul was objecting to based upon a knowing something. The first was how can we continue sinning knowing that we who are “dead to sin” are baptized into Christ’s death and burial. And the result is that I have a new walk, a new manner of living. The second occurrence here says, how shall we continue sinning, don’t you know something… Again there is an objection based upon a knowing something. It is a knowing that if you yield yourself as a servant to obey, the

17. 17, But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

a. God is thanked because you used to serve sin, yield to sin, let sin. But now there is a new walk. You have obeyed this form of doctrine delivered unto you. It is in the believing and obeying where victory is known. It is in the not trusting what you see, not believing with your senses but believing what God says.

i. Rom 4:12, And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

ii. 2Co 5:7, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

b. You used to obey sin resulting in death (dead in sins and trespasses; and you being dead in sins and the uncircumcision of your hearts). You used to yield to sin but having this doctrine, this teaching, this operation and working of God, this divine power which has given us all things for life and godliness that you walk in victory from sin. That you can yield not, that you can let not sin any longer reign. It has been dethroned and put to death and lost all dominion over you.

c. The result is that you are free from sin. Not free to sin, not free in sin, not slave to sin, not dead in sin, but free from sin. It no longer has a hold on you; it no longer has you in its grip but has lost it’s strength as a dead man that has lost all strength in his grip, whose hand slithers off your throat. If it gets at your throat again, its not because he had any strength to do so, you had to pick it up, place it upon your throat and squeeze. There is now no power in the flesh to control you. If you sin, and you are a Christian, you have no excuse to sin, no passport to sin, no indulgences to sin for it has relinquished all holds and authority and dominion over you. If you sin, it is the new man sinning. There is no old man to blame; it is dead. If you sin there is no old nature, that too has perished. What can you blame then? Why do I sin? Why when told I am free still live under bondage? Paul answers that and tells us how to live.

18. 19, I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20, For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21, What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

a. Paul is saying that he’s speaking regarding our fleshly experience; he’s doing so because of the sickness of our flesh. He’s saying just like you used to serve sin with abandon, just like you indulged your flesh to your lusts and desires, just like you used to be free from righteousness; in the same way, to the same degree now yield yourselves to do righteousness with the same abandon. With the same careless disregard for right doing that you had before, so now have the careless regard for wrong doing and with full abandon follow righteousness.

19. 22, But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

a. Here it is again, we are free from sin, free from sin, free from sin. Three times this chapter tells us we are free from sin. Don’t look to your experience, don’t look to the evidences of your eyes or feelings; with the same abandon that you used to sin, now believe God and be free from sin.

20. 23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

a. Plain and simple. The paycheck from sin is death. The result of a life in sin is eternal separation from God and a destiny set for the flames of hell. But, in contrary to, to a greater plane and beyond the imagination is the gift of God for hopeless sinners. That gift being eternal life, real living, a life yet to be lived. A rest, a new life, a life yet to be lived, adventures and excitement and thrills and love and joy and peace, where there are no more tears, no more fears, no more frailties and diseases of the body and the infirmity of our flesh. To live in the presence of love itself. To live in a true joy, and a joy that is full. Your happiest day is like mourning, your ecstasies like bitter death, your highest achievements like a child banging his pots thinking himself well. No eye has seen, no ear has heard nor entered into the heart of man or even his imaginations what God has prepared for those whom love him. I compare it to the womb, would you want to go back? There was no sight, no color, no wind upon your face, no hearing the fidelity of sound. No running or jumping or embracing. No tastes, no smells (oxygen is needed). No flavor of barbeque ribs or the smell of the sea. Like as the womb is to the man, to a great degree to an unimaginable comparison is what awaits those who are in Christ.

Romans 5: Justification II

2011-08-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

Romans 5:

Results and blessings of Justification

1. 1, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

a. Justified by faith. He’s not going back into justification laid out in latter chapter 3 and chapter 4. Remember justification is two things 1) what God did for you and 2) What God did to you. The first, having taken your sins and having dealt with them and you. Putting you to death and raising you to life. Having washed your stain with his blood and your souls having been intertwined sharing the same fate (baptism) . God then did something to you, he sanctified you, made you holy. Holiness itself came upon you and took up residence in your heart. God himself promising to abide there forever. God will raise you to heaven some day.

b. Peace. He is stating that since that has taken place. We have peace with God. Not peace of mind. Not inner peace, not internal. It means I am no longer at war, a peace treaty has been ratified and all hostilities have halted now and forever. God is no longer my adversary, but my friend. We are no longer at enmity with each other, we are at peace. I cannot have internal peace until I have external peace with God. Story of the USS Missouri when in Hawaii. Ship used for the surrender of the Empire of Japan. Established a state of peace between the two countries.

c. When I come to the gospel, it’s not that I need to make peace with God; it’s that God has made it possible and has remedied the warfare with man. That wrath of God that came upon me when measured against the law, God’s righteous standard, that wrath and thundering God of Sinai, God has buried his axe of anger in Christ and has ceased from his hostilities against me and is now at peace and reconciliation with me through Christ Jesus.

2. 2, By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

a. Access. What a glorious statement especially to the Jew. He had been separated all his life. He never had access to God in the temple, only the high priest and that was only once a year. He always needed a mediator between him and God. The law separated and condemned but was not accepting. The temple had the middle wall to separate the Jew from the inside of the temple. Then there was the veil as a reminder that there was a separation between God and man with no access to the inner sanctum. Now God has torn the veil in two at Christ’s death ripped from the top down.

i. Veil. Not a trivial matter since the veil was the width of a man’s hand (appx 4” thick).

1. Mat_27:51, And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

2. Mar_15:38, And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

ii. Eph 2:18 For through Him we both have ACCESS by one Spirit unto the Father.

iii. Heb4:16 Let us therefore come BOLDLY to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

b. Stand. 64 times in NT. Not the vertical position of the body. Means to take a position and hold it. Having been persuaded of the truth, you stand on that ground.

c. 2Cor 12:9. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” The sufficiency of the grace is a provision. So we stand in the adequacy of his provision.

d. 1Cor 2:5. “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

e. 1Cor 15:1,2. 1, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2, By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

f. 2Cor 3:7-11. Moses’ glory was nothing in comparison. “7, But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8, How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9, For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10, For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11, For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

3. 3, And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4, And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

a. TRIBULATIONS. What are tribulations? They are the difficulties, trials and problems in life. Most religions advertise and speak of ways to avoid tribulation by adherence.

i. Rom 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

ii. All things work to the good. God is able to even use tribulation in our experience to glory. Such that we can joy even during tribulation.

b. Why is tribulation necessary? What is it directed at or supposed to do?

c. Jam 1:3. “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” This process works something in you, produces a yield of biblical patience in you. At the end of the process of v3, you will hold fast to the truth, the testimony, the experience you have which being persuaded of the hope that God has promised you, he will deliver as though it had already happened. And you wait patiently for the adoption as sons into your father’s kingdom.

d. 2Pet 1:7-9 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not see, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

e. 2Cor 4:17. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”.

f. 2Cor 11:30. “If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.”.

g. 1Pet 5:10. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”.

h. 2Cor 6:4-7. “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6, By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9, As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10, As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things”.

i. Two lists: , in necessities, in distresses, 5, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, honour and dishonor, evil and good report, deceivers, unknown, dying, chastened, sorrowful yet rejoicing, poor, having nothing.

ii. pureness, knowledge, kindness, Holy Ghost, love unfeigned, the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.

iii. These tribulations, life experiences build something eternal, glorious and holy within. God uses it all to build in you a temple fit for heaven. So we rejoice not in the tribulation itself, for it has no intrinsic value, but what is produced at the other side. For it is fashioned with heavenly hands building in us the glory of God, some blessing, some rejoicing, some facet of God’s character, some attributes that bring me higher and taller, more confident and sure, steadfast and standing in the glorious hope set before us.

i. PATIENCE. Tribulation works patience. The product of the tribulation is biblical patience. Holding fast to our faith, not giving up, not letting go, staying in the faith. So that being faithful unto death I stand in the truth fashioned in this heart of flesh.

j. Biblical Patience gets stronger just like anything. How does a tree’s roots get stronger? How do muscles get stronger? By stress, by tribulation, by working them until they hurt. In muscles the fibers tear and are rebuilt a little thicker, a little stronger. In trees, same thing, upon stronger winds stressing the roots, they go a little deeper, grow a little thicker. So it is within the human soul. When faith is tried and tested; when it is stressed and its fibers are torn, it rebuilds a little stronger a little thicker. It becomes tougher, able to handle more, stands a little higher, with more confidence; sees lesser things in a light of superiority having a history of overcoming. Whenever I have read of true Christians either in the bible or in extra-biblical accounts, the one’s worth anything were the ones who had gone through tribulation. Missionaries standing in a desert climate, with little food, clothes, money. Surviving hostile witchdoctors, tribal superstition and religions. People engaged in spreading the gospel, encountering hostility, physical or verbal abuse. Look at the chapter 11 in the book of Hebrews and it’s account of the brothers and sisters throughout history, the account of their faith.

i. Some folks get bitter with God. They say, I have prayed and then God let this happen. They accuse God and bring railing indictment and charges against him. What they need is more trial, till their testimony changes to praise God for no trial today. That I didn’t take a step and have a prickle stick my foot. Praise God that I am not sick, look every day with thanks and praise and contentment.

k. EXPERIENCE. God could not create experience in my experience. You cannot get experience without living through it. Experience necessitates living through it. However, experience without tribulation is worthless. The people who are of value are those who’ve had tribulation, responded to it correctly and have grown and matured through the hard knocks of life. They are able to reach down a little deeper into the soul to things where others come up empty. There are skills and knowledge and confidence that are lacking in those who’ve not gone through the tribulation. Like a trapeze artist he climbs to death defying heights and performs a ballet in the air. Whereas someone who’s never experienced it is in fear for his life and would almost surely die trying those things.

4. 5, And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

a. Hope. “Rom_8:24, For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25, But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

b. 1Cor 15:19 “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” If all we had in this life was hope without Christ, then we’d be most miserable of all people. We are giving up things to be a Christian. We are sacrificing “supposed” fun and temptations. The Christian experience is filled with postponed gratification, self denial and loss of freedom.

c. Col 1:5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”.

d. 1Jn 3: 2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3, And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

e. Hope is that certainty of that blessed hope that second coming and our place and position in heaven. That is the biblical definition of hope.

f. “Heb_6:19, Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”

g. So this tribulation works experience and the experience works hope.

h. Do you know what makes you want to go to heaven? This life. When young don’t think that, everything is ahead of you. You’ve not “experienced” things. You want a career, get married, do this and that. But after you’ve experienced enough of this life. After you’ve experienced enough tribulation work some patience and some experience, then that experience says I want to see the Lord, I want a new body, I want to be in the Lord’s presence and am tired of the planet earth.

i. Most belief systems are designed to keep us from adversity. And if adversity comes, then your God has failed you. Most belief systems are designed to keep you from getting sick, get you wealthy etc. The bible says, that even in all of that, the bible gives us hope. Paul says, if all we had in life was hope, then we would be of all men most miserable. If this life was the only hope we had, we would be most miserable. That’s because we are giving up so much. We’re giving up allot of thrills and pleasures and denying ourselves to be Christians. We are turning our back on fun in many cases, a path of self denial. And as a result we get persecuted and misunderstood. When I know what’s beyond, there is nothing you can say to me that’s going to make me ashamed of the Lord Jesus.

5. 6, For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

a. While we were still at war with God, while we were still mocking God, while we were still making God in our own image, while we were still changing the truth of God into a lie, while we didn’t like to keep God in our knowledge, were unthankful, not giving God the glory and praise He deserves; during that time God became man and died at the hands of men, doing a deed on their behalf that would go thankless, ignored, branded a vile thing and unscholarly and uneducated, archaic and despised. Consider the kind and character of this God of the bible that would do such a thing. He is so far beyond the limitations of human compassion, pity and prideful inhibition.

6. 7, For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

a. It’s one thing to die for a right cause, just man or a loved one, but would you die for the person that raped your wife and daughter and left their tortured, dismembered bodies in a hole out in the wilderness? Would you give up your life for the murderer who killed your father for fun? Or the horrendous, the men who molest children to their death, the cannibals who go into the villages warning that they will be back next week to eat children and do. Certainly the flames of hell were made for such as these. Even still those who’ve trodden under foot the Son of God, hath called the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace? God seeing our hopeless state, unable to remedy our desperate condition, separated from God and alone in the world took pity. He went to the cross, spread his arms and said, I love you this much. Having paid a debt he did not owe, because I owed a debt I could not pay.

7. 9, Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10, For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

a. Much more. Paul makes this statement 5 times in this chapter. He is excited and professing how great the promises and the work of God is. He proclaims these 5 contrasts to illustrate:

i. Rom_5:9, Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

ii. Rom_5:10, For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

iii. Rom_5:15, But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

iv. Rom_5:17, For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

v. Rom_5:20, Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

b. Summary: justified by His blood, saved from wrath; enemies reconciled by His death; saved by his life; offense of one many dead, grace and gift of God abound to many; one man’s offense death reigned, receive abundance of grace and gift of righteousness reign in life by one, Jesus; where sin abounded grace did more.

8. 11, And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

a. Only time the word “atonement” appears in the KJB NT and is the only translation that has it here. However it appears 81 times in the whole bible. When examining ALL 81 verses, they all mean a blood sacrifice for a covering over sin. There was an atonement that needed to precede a forgiveness or reconciliation. You could not have a reconciliation without an atonement and an atonement without a reconciliation was useless.

b. The atonement was temporary. It needed to be performed once every year for Israel at Yom Kippur “the atonement”. In fact the reconciliation was also temporary as well. It was a temporal covering for sins, but “Heb_10:4, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

c. Change. If we change atonement to reconciliation in this verse, then we remove the fulfillment of the atonement being fulfilled. We skip the atonement and jump right to reconciliation with no atonement made. No blood sacrifice, no payment offered, skip right past the fulfillment of the atonement that would be permanent, no need for yearly renewal, implemented by a flawed human man, no longer inferior for the putting off of sins. No fulfillment of that final sacrifice. Rom 6:10 “For in that he died, he died unto sin once; in that he liveth he liveth unto God.” He didn’t die yearly- annually, not monthly, not weekly or daily or minute-by-minute. He died ONCE!

9. Overview of verse 12-21.

a. Series of Contrasts. Paul is about to setup a series of contrasts between Adam and Christ. It will contrast things such as sin unto death and righteousness unto life. The purpose is to use Adam as a reference to demonstrate God’s grace to man contrasted with the consequences of the works of the flesh. God’s grace being the works of God poured out upon the sinner, the unrighteous, the condemned, the dead and alone. The Grace of God

i. Adam versus Christ contrasted 9 times. By one is mentioned 11 times meaning that two of them had no contrast but were statements.

1. Sin entered world 1. Righteousness entered by the gift of God

2. Death by one 2. Gift of Life by One

3. Offense many dead 3. Grace and “the Gift” by grace to many made alive

4. Judgment/condemnation 4. Free gift unto justification (legal statement)

5. Death reigned 5. Gift of righteousness, reign in life

6. Offense/judgment/condemnation 6. Gift of Righteousness, justification, life

7. Disobedience-Sinners 7. Obedience – righteousness

8. Law entered so sin abounds 8. Grace entered and abounds further

9. Sin reigned unto death 9. Grace reign through righteousness unto life

10. “12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

a. Death passed upon all men by way of sin. Two things happened in Adam’s sin. 1) Separation from God and 2) Blocked from partaking of the tree of Life!!! Therefore, death passed upon all men because there was neither of these two options available anymore. 1) God would never dwell with man again until Christ would return and God would justify him, sanctify him, and anoint him holy by indwelling him. 2) Man will never take part of the “Tree of Life” until after Christ’s righteousness and gift of indwelling life. Then having been washed in the blood of the lamb, given the white raiment of righteousness, received their reward and crowns, then brought into the heavenlies and have access to the tree.

b. Eph_2:11, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12, That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” This is the state of the unsaved man when he enters into the world; without Christ, no hope and separate from God.

c. Confusion and Errant Teaching on verse 12

i. Adam influenced generations to sin. Sin was the influence of one. If this were so, then the parallel in Christ would be then that his righteousness did nothing more than influence us to righteousness.

ii. All actually sinned in Adam. All were in Adam, present in Adam when he sinned, so it wasn’t just Adam who sinned but all sinned with him. Therefore all die for actual sin. If man dies for his own sin, then the parallel must be that he lives because of his own righteousness. If Adam’s acts made us sinners, the Christs acts made us righteous. So that the condemnation to all men for their participation in actual sin, then eternal life to Christians is deserved reward for their participation in actual righteousness.

iii. Covenant sinners – federal headship. Covenant churches. Teach that all did not sin, but are accounted by covenant to have sinned. Adam being the federal head, by him acting on behalf of the entire human race. All are blamed but not guilty. Some make covenant with God for the salvation of their children. In this teaching men, women and babies are to blame and worthy of the flames of hell. God is angry with the human race for their passive participation in a failed covenant with Adam.

iv. Sinful Nature. Adam’s sin caused a pollution, a sinful nature to be deposited in man. They teach that not all sinned but that all are “made” sinners. It is not the condemnation passed down from the original sin, but the effect. When Adam sinned, his “nature” became corrupt and passed along the depraved state to all his descendents. This started with Augustinian teaching in the 5^th century and continued through history to Luther, Calivin, the Puritans, Hodge and a host of contemporaries. They say that all men die, though having not sinned personally or in Adam, but because they were born depraved and unable to do righteousness. From the womb they are wicked. The fetus is an abomination to God, babies and infants God holds them blameworthy and laughs as he holds them over the flames of hell. Covenant view there is no organic link to depravity. In seminal view, is man organically participated in sin, then guilt is direct and personal and moral depravity the result of all simultaneously in Adam. If no organic link (sinful nature), then moral depravity must be the creation of God. In other words, if only Adam sinned and only he is blameworthy, and his descendents are born with natures vile to God, then all are damned and blameworthy for no fault of their own and faulted for something they could not be, unable to be.

11. 13, (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14, Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15, But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.16, And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17, For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

a. Personal Note from God to the reader in Verse 13-17. It is explaining verse 12. Notice that the explanation addresses all four of the issues. It addresses “did all sin Adam’s sin?”, “did Adam’s sin influence us to sin?”, “was Adam’s sin a headship representation of all men, therefore we sinned by proxy?” Why are there all these views? Does their commonality reveal their origin? These views attempt to reconcile V12’s “all sinned” with God’s justice. In other words, we are all damned for a reason, and the reason is …”. They try to rationalize damnation. What actually damns man? What helps us wade through the misinformation and navigate the scriptures are the previous passages in Romans.

b. V13 No law to impute them. In other words, even before the Mosaic law was in the world there was sin. But there was no law to condemn them. There was no “Thou shalt not’s” to accuse them. However, they were still accountable to the truth which they held. Just like Romans chapter 1-3 told us. Even though they didn’t sin like Adam did. They didn’t do what he did but they still sinned.

There was no law to impute them of sin, however, they still had the accountability of the truth which they held. Remember Pauls’ statement in Rom 1:18.

c. V14 not sinned as Adam did.

i. This is the affirmation that they didn’t sin the same sin Adam sinned. Therefore, they did not participate in the original sin. It was Adam alone who sinned. However, the consequences of his actions were passed down. Not depravity, not corruption, but separated from God and death by virtue of no access to the provision God had made to live forever. So death passed to all men.

ii. Paul has taught us that men are damned for the “truth they hold in unrighteousness”. We are taught that all have sinned but our justification and salvation is upon all individuals that believe. No proxy salvation involved, no intermediary covenant involved. If the headship of Adam’s sin damned us by our co-disobedience, then Christ’s righteousness saved us by our co-obedience. If we actually sinned with Adam, then we actually obeyed with Christ. Then heaven is a deserved reward and payment for our obedience. God becomes a debtor to give me my portion, my wages and would be in sin if he withheld. Obsurd!

d. Figure of Him to come. Adam is being used as a figure of Christ, an illustration. He is not Christ’s parallel. But his deeds and consequences are being pralleled. He is referenced 9 times in the NT. 2-geneology; 2-mentioned with Eve; 3-contrasts with Christ.

i. Luk_3:38, Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

ii. Rom_5:14, Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

iii. 1Co_15:22, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

iv. 1Co_15:45, And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

v. 1Ti_2:13, For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

vi. 1Ti_2:14, And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

vii. Jud_1:14, And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

e. The Gift/The free gift. What is “the gift”? The word is mentioned 59 times in the bible, 38 times in the NT; most mentioned in Romans, some 8 times with 6 out of the 8 in chapter 5. With a few exceptions, it most always means a sacrificial offering. Putting all 8 verses in Romans together: it is Spiritual, free, by grace, unto justification, it is righteousness, reigns in life, unto justification of life, gift of God. All of them are attributes, but only ONE explains what it is. It is RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is the righteousness of Christ. That when we are IN Christ we gain His attributes. 2Cor 5:21 says “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

f. Put it together. Adam sinned and brought the curse of death (separation from God, no access to the tree of life). Christ brought the abounding “gift of grace” which is the righteousness of God by faith of Christ upon all that believe and therefore acquire his life; which is eternal life having resurrected from the dead dieth no more. This was the author’s note to explain v12.

12. 18, Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

a. Having introduced and written a personal note from verses 12-17, Paul then says, THEREFORE. What is the THEREFORE there for? It is saying, all these things being true, now when I say judgement came upon all to condemnation, now we summarize “the gift of righteousness” came upon all men which works unto the justification of the “life” given to them. That life is Christ, God himself comes and makes his home, his abode in the heart of Man. Life itself comes and takes resident in his heart. God’s Spirit inter-dwelling with my spirit, fellowshipping with me day by day. I share in his life, I partake in His counsel, his wisdom, his love and goodness. As I dwell with Him, I add to my faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. The gift is a gift that has no bounds, has no limit and is alive and reigning in this life and the next.

13. 19, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

a. False Concept in Christian teaching. It is not saying when Adam sinned, we were in him and we all sinned. When Christ obeyed, we were in him and are righteous because we actually obeyed. If Adam’s sin caused us to be “made” sinners, then Christ’s obedience caused us to be “made” righteous. It didn’t. It was IMPUTED to us as righteousness (just like Abraham’s faith Gen 15:7). This is justification by faith just like an appointed office. If we were made righteous, then “the gift” wouldn’t be a gift but payment for our being righteous. You see how changing the word of God just a little can result in wrong conclusion and doctrinal error and heresy?

b. Made. This word (Gk kathistēmi) occurs 27 times in NT, however it is used both in the context and other passages as one “made” a judge or “made” a mayor. Made, ordained, appointed, set, conducted (made Paul).

i. 2Co 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

ii. Made Sinners. This is not speaking of creating a person for the purpose to sin. Not tooling someone to sin. If it were, then God would be condemning those who had been made sinful to eternal death and the flames of hell. Like preacher Charles Finney stated “If man is in fault for his sinful nature, why not condemn man for having blue or black eyes?” In other words, if a man is made a certain way, then he cannot but do otherwise to what is function and characteristics employ. If we are “made” sinners, then it is a logical fallacy and we know that God is not illogical or unjust. He is the creator of truth and logic set as universal law. This would truly be the epitome of injustice if this heresy were true. But man was made to commune with God, but apart from God he is insufficient against his flesh, the influences and enticements of the world and the devil. Our modern culture and society with its pulls and allurements, its values and pressures are too much for the man without God. But what about the man of God, surely it is too much for him as well right? God forbid. We’ll see what God has to say about this in Chapter 6.

iii. Made Righteous. As mentioned above, we are made righteous like an appointment, an office. We are given the gift of righteousness by Jesus Christ. So that God sees me with the same righteousness as Christ. If it were not true, I would not be able to enter into the heavenlies, come boldly to the throne of grace, speak with God face to face. As 2Cor 5:21 states “I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD”.

14. 20, Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

a. What was the purpose of the Law? That the offence of sin might abound, might be more sinful, that sin by the commandment might become more sinful. It was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal 3:24. Where the law imputed judgment to me of wrongdoing and condemned me by it, grace abounded much more the forgiveness of my sin. Remember God could not just forgive sin and still be just. He needed a legal remedy while reconciling us to Himself needed to maintain righteousness and justice. A myriad of moral beings are watching his government and his every move. God is removed from indictment of wrongdoing but maintains justice while reconciling sinners. We saw in previous chapters it was an impossible dichotomy in which His wisdom had thought through. It is impossible to reconcile it by any other means or created being in the universe. In fact, the solution could only be made possible by God doing it Himself. Thus eliminating all others from the solution.

15. 21, That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

a. Reigning righteousness in this life and after. God has given us “the gift” of righteousness that it would rule over and reign in this life and the next. God did not create this gospel as a theoretical or hypothetical solution we will see in Chapter 6. He gave us something tangible and practical for overcoming this world. It is the essence of the divine power has given us all things which pertain to life and godliness THROUGH the knowledge of him who has called us to grace and virtue. Understanding the foundation of our righteousness is inclusive in what is called SANCTIFICATION. In Chapter 6, Paul will deal head on with this subject and will draw from these verses Paul just laid out for us.

Romans 4: Justification I

2011-08-28T17:44:00.001-07:00

Romans 4:

Justification by Faith Evidenced in Old Testament. Paul is still answering the Jewish mindset behind the scenes. He is anticipating their often times resorting to the Mosaic Law and their Father Abraham. He is in effect saying lets go back and examine what Abraham taught.

1. 1, What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

a. Having brought up the superiority of the “law of faith” over the “law of works” he then turns to the origin of Abraham’s faith in the scripture. Him being the cornerstone of their law, the object of their devotion and identity. They held Abraham as the father of their religion. He says, let’s go examine Abraham and his justification before God. On what basis was he justified, was it according to some works he did while still in the flesh?

2. 2, For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

a. Abraham. This is saying that if Abraham could boast, he could do that, just not before God. In other words, he could say that he is there in heaven because he was obedient. And when God required he sacrifice his son, he did so and earned his righteousness before God. He could say, I left my father and extended family to go to an unknown destination, in the wilderness out of obedience. I believed God when he said that I would be the father of many nations and it was by my great faith, obedience and sacrifice that I stand here in heaven, Abraham the righteous. The law leaves room for works, whereas faith does not.

3. 3, For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

a. In other words, he couldn’t glory before God by claiming works of faith. He simply believed what God said, there was no work in it.

b. Faith is not particular to Christians. In fact there is no character in faith. Every day, we have faith in all manner of things. Driving to work on the road with other cars, eating at a fast food restaurant, flying on an airplane. When your child falls and breaks their leg, you call 911 and you have faith that the ambulance will be there quickly. You’re neighbor offers to drive you both to ER, but you say no that’s okay, an ambulance will be here within minutes. You have faith that what the 911 operator said was true and you reject other help because you believe what they said. There is no special character in believing. Likewise there was no righteousness in Abraham believing God, he simply said, God is and has been dependable and I trust what he said is true. There was no righteousness in the act of believing God. God did not take his faith and accept it as righteousness. God did not take a small faith and somehow make it large. He took something that was not and made it so. Upon Abraham’s simply believing, God accounted to him righteousness. God called him something he was not. He was appointed righteousness. There is no work in that.

4. 4, Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

a. If you were to do some labor for someone and they promised to pay you $10/hour, does the employer deserve praise for his paying you? No, there is no reason for praise in that. If the employer said, don’t you think you should be thankful for me paying you? Don’t you think I am generous for doing so? No, there would be no cause to give him praise, no cause for graciousness for paying his debt. In fact he is a debtor to you. Further, if he didn’t pay you, he would be a transgressor.

b. You would be counting on getting paid and you would count or reckon to your account what the employer owed you. You would perhaps plan on paying off a debt or making a purchase because you know that the funds are going to be in your account as soon as you get paid.

c. Example. Garage sale hypo story. Selling lots of gadgets and Bluetooth headphones. It was late in the day, I was getting ready to pack up. When a man came and wanted to buy a nice BT headset. He asked me how much it was and I said, $50.00. He said, oh I can’t afford that, thanks anyway. It was around the holidays and was feeling festive. So I asked, were you looking for a gift? He said, yes, I wanted to get something special for my father who has lost his hearing and needs an amplified headset. I’ve been searching all day through garage sales because stores are too expensive. I am hoping to find a deal. So I said I am going to make this a gift to you for free, God bless you and have a great day. He then proceeded to pull out a few dollars from his wallet and some change in his pocket and laid it on the table. I said, what is this? He said, well I just need to pay for this nice headset. So I got out my calculator and said that will be $54.13. He looked at me bewildered. I said, if you want to pay for the gadget, it is $54.13 or you can receive it as a gift for free. Make up your mind. So, he put the change back in his pocket took the headset and was thankful. If I would have said to my wife, you know that gadget I was selling for $50, well I sold it for $2.53, she would have said, What! That’s the worst deal I’ve seen you make. You must be going senile. He was insulting the value of my offer.

d. If there was a man $100 bucks short of his rent, and I gave it to him as a gift, and he said. Well, I don’t have any money, but I am going to wash your car. And I say, no my car is already clean and don’t need that just take the $100 and be thankful that’s all I want. But then he were to say, no, I must pay my way, that’s who I am and I just can’t accept something for nothing. So I’m going to wash your car. I would have snatched the $100 back from him and given him $5.00. Why, because he was insulting my grace by trying to purchase the $100 bucks with a car wash bill. I had given him $100 and he was trying to earn it with his measly car wash. It would have been insulting and offensive to have given him something of greater value and have him try to earn it with something inferior.

e. If you are coming to God by the works of the law there is no grace, if you are coming by grace there is no works. They are mutually exclusive. You cannot have one without the exclusion of the other.

5. 5, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

a. Works. It isn’t that God sees our works as good or evil. God is not against good works; he’s not opposed to or doesn’t like good works. This sovereign God has simply pre-determined that works should be the fruit of salvation not the cause of it. That works are the fruit of my relationship with him not the cause of it.

b. When we think that we can precipitate God’s favor by our works, then we have not understood our depravity. The law has not done its work properly. The law was designed to do what Paul did in Chapters 1,2 and 3 convict that all are under sin, there is none that do good, no not one, they are all together unprofitable. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

6. 6, Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

a. Ps 32:1,2 “David having been forgiven his murder, adulterous affair, and deception, he extols the hearer to rejoice in God’s grace whereby he would account a man righteous, forgive sin, who’s sin is not imputed to him.” He’s not talking about some Theological or doctrinal resolution. He’s talking about the release that he experienced in his own life. He’s talking about the joy and freedom from the burden that he experienced in his own soul that he’s forgiven. That he is in a state of blessedness before God. He said, “blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven”. You have got to see your iniquities in order to experience that blessedness. Jesus said, to those who have been forgiven much the same loveth much. The opposite of that is also true. If you haven’t been forgiven much, you wouldn’t love much. It’s not that some of us have sinned more than others, it’s that there are those whom recognize their sin or their sin is more recognizable; they see their separation, their depravity, their hopeless state, the law has adequately dealt with them in their heart, in their soul. And having that as their starting point come to the grace of God, who took the weight of their burden, the load of their guilt and the condemnation of their soul and freed them from it. Having adequately dealt with their death, burial and resurrection to new life for those in Christ.

b. Not impute sin. Like a bank that when a man draws from his account, the bank funds his debt and doesn’t debit it to his account having accounted it as full. We have spent our souls in sin and depravity yet God is not imputing our sin to us. Why? Because God took the debts, the deficits, the loans, what we spent and put it in Jesus account. Jesus took our sin, our debt and died for it as if it were his own suffering the loss because of what we spent.

c. King David was a pillar of their heritage. He was the greatest king in their history. Paul uses that to illustrate that even their hero to which they put their national identity, didn’t have works to credit his righteousness. He says blessed are those unto whom God imputeth righteousness. There is no work there. Using Abraham and now David would definitely strike at the foundations of their belief system. This would leave them nowhere to go.

7. 9, Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

a. He is asking a question to answer with another question. The Jew was ready to say, no this was only for circumcised Jews. So he quotes Gen 15:6 that his faith was reckoned for righteousness. Then he asks this next question.

8. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

a. He asks, how was Abraham’s righteousness reckoned to him? Was it before or after he got circumcised?

b. Remember God called on Abraham when he was 75 years old. God told Abraham several times throughout his wonderings that he would be the father of many nations. When God told that to him and he believed, God said I have imputed righteousness to you because you believed what I said. Abraham didn’t believe on Jesus Christ, he didn’t believe that his sins were forgiven all he believed was that he was going to have a baby by his wife that was barren, that is it! And God said, Abraham because you believed in me, I am going to call that righteousness. Abraham was not yet circumcised. In fact, Abraham went in to Hagar to try and produce a child. He goes 25 more years after he and Sarah now were both incapable of producing seed. God says to Abraham, circumcise yourself, your child and all the males. After having done so, the next year, God brings about the promised child. It was 15 years earlier that God had accounted him righteous. God had called him righteous for 15 years before he received his son Isaac. So his point that Abraham was righteous before he was circumcised.

c. Was Abraham a Jew? He was not. Jews were descendents from the tribe of Judah one of Jacobs’ sons. Isaac had a son Jacob and he had 12 sons, one of which was Judah. Some 500 or so before the was a tribe of Judah and it was even later before they were actually called Jews. This is some 500 years before Moses and the Mosaic law. Abraham was a Gentile, he was not a Jew, he was not under the Mosaic law, he was not circumcised. There was no Sabbath keeping, no tithing spices, no high priest sacrifices. So God called that Gentile, non-Jew, non-law follower, uncircumcised man righteous. Even his righteousness precedes the act of circumcision hundreds of years before the law was given. So it was a Gentile that God declared righteous not a Jew, it was a Gentile not under any legal system. Paul has built a very good case.

d. Note: So even their claim to fame – circumcision was 15 years after he was declared righteous while he was uncircumcised. There is nothing in Abraham’s justification that substantiates the law as the provision that justified him. Circumcision was a cutting away of the flesh, the male member foreskin. It was a reminder. God often does things (Passover, Yom Kuppor, Feast of Booths, Hannakuh, even NT communion) that we would remember as we have a propensity to forget. Notice that God doesn’t have a circumcision of the elbow, cutting of the hand or hair. It is directed at the origin of much of the world’s woes – the male sex organ. Paul is calling the Jews attention to the facts of Abraham to unearth their foundation and inordinate prideful identification in him.

9. 11, And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

a. Seal. Circumcision was a sign and a seal of the covenant of faith. It is a sign, something that is displayed for a set purpose. A street post is a sign is to tell you where you are, to point the way. So circumcision is a sign pointing to the seal of the righteousness of faith.

b. Seal. It is something that is place after a contract or document has been closed. It is a legal attestation to the authority of the governing or issuing body.

c. Righteousness of faith. Circumcision was a sign of the seal of the righteousness that he already possessed before circumcision was made.

d. Gentiles. To a Jew, Gentiles were filthy scum of the earth; they were reserved for the dung heap of hell. They were God’s refuse of the world. This was the Jewish mentality. So the Jews at this point might have been bearing what he was saying to them but now he would have in sensed them, infuriated them. Here they had been holding to the law, laboring in the law, striving to keep the law, having gone to war, been targeted by the heathen nations around them. Then Paul comes along saying that this salvation was given to the dirty rotten heathen? Without the law? Without circumcision? Without the process of cleansings and keeping the Sabbaths and feast days and such? Anathema! They would cry.

e. Having worked their whole lives to keep this law, striving to attain it, satisfy it and then at the end of their life a Gentile sinner attains righteousness without the law. They couldn’t bear it. In fact there is a story about this. (Pearl points out).

f. Mat 20:1-16 the story of the laborers for a penny a day. Verse 12 key.

10. 12, And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

a. In other words, the father of their faith, those who call themselves circumcised originated from a righteousness that came by a man who was yet uncircumcised. His righteousness did not come by way of his circumcision but before. And now the righteousness of an uncircumcised Gentile, non-Jew, non-law keeping man is the father of the circumcision and uncircumcision as well. Paul is slamming the lid shut on their foundation of holding to Abraham as the righteousness of the circumcised. Remember, the influence of Jewish law was so strong that it even affected the early church so radically, that the first ecumenical council of Jerusalem was called to settle Christian obligations to the law.

11. 13, For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

a. In other words, the promise that all generations of the faithful of God would come through Abraham was not made through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. In the same manner in the same likeness as Abrahams’ faith. In other words, Abraham believed God and God credited, accounted, reckoned to his account something that was not. Abraham brought nothing and God gave him something from nothing. God called something that was not something that was.

12. 14, For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15, Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

a. If the law justified them, by the keeping of the law then justification by believing in the promise is invalid. If you are justified by the works of the law, then you can’t be justified by grace. They are mutually exclusive. Faith excludes works, works excludes faith. Gal 5:1-4.

b. Paul’s Argument. Law not given for almost 500 years after circumcision, so if Abraham was made righteous before the giving of the law, then the giving of the law cannot be the cause of imputed righteousness. He’s established the fact that imputed righteousness is not only independent of circumcision but is also independent of the Mosaic law, in fact Judaism. He’s establishing that a gentile can be grafted in, not by the law or circumcision, but before both of these with Abraham as the father of his faith.

c. Errant teaching church inherits promises of jews. They use this scripture and a few others to promote this teaching.

d. Heb 6:12 inherit the promise(s)... surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee.

e. Two immutable things, two promises. Abraham only received one Heb 7:6 …who had the promise(s). Statements God made: back in Genesis examining every time promise made 1 time, 1 promise, about 5 times it’s two promises. 1) Multiply your seed as the sand on the seashore innumerable and make you the head of a great nation. Your gonna have kids, your kids are gonna have kids and spread about the whole world. 2) And through your seed I will bless the whole world. Although Abraham only received one promise, he never received promise 2 until the SEED which should come which is Christ. The promise 1 came through the seed of Isaac, promise 2 came from the seed which is Christ which came through Isaac, the jewish nation. WHICH SEED WE ARE when we are baptized into his body. Thus we are blessed when we receive the righteousness by faith like of Abraham, we are baptized into Christ’s body and born again. The church has received promise 2, however the Jewish nation is the only one that has received promise 1. You must see that there is two promises or else you may wind up in error. You will have two sets of people trying to inherit the same promises in two different dispensations of time.

13. 16, Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

a. In other words, our justification of the faith of Abraham is by the grace of God by the seed of Abraham through Christ. That all the whole world might be blessed. Jew and Gentile alike for he is the father of us all.

14. 17, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

a. God quickeneth “made alive” Abraham and Sarah’s bodies even though their bodies were dead, unable to produce seed and eggs anymore. They believed God even when their bodies testified contrary to the promise they received. They ignored the testimony of their bodies and believed the unseen. They believed the invisible and dismissed the tangible. They were persuaded until their faith was the substance and evidence of things hoped for and things not seen.

b. God called Abraham the father of a great nation when he was not and he believed it. God calls us righteous though we are not and we believe it. God calls him alive even though he was dead.

15. 18, Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations,

a. Abraham and Sarah’s bodies were dead but he believed God even still that he would receive the promises.

16. “according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19, And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead,”

a. His body was dead, but he didn’t consider it dead. When Abraham’s reason played through his options, he didn’t consider the fact that his body wouldn’t produce seed. Because he weighed against the word of God and the word of God outweighed his obvious dead body.

17. “when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:”

a. This is the dead thing God revives.

18. “20, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;”

a. He may have staggered at many things, but not at the promise of God.

19. 21, And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22, And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

a. That was faith. Being fully persuaded that what He promised, He was also able to perform. Abraham’s faith was not in his own faith, he wasn’t believing in his ability to believe. He wasn’t believing that his own faith was going to initiate anything. Abraham believed that God gave him an unconditional promise. That all the means and resources to fulfill that promise was in God himself. Being so, therefore it was imputed to him as righteousness. Not that his believing or faith was accepted as righteous, nor did God take his little faith and make it big faith. He simply believed God and God accredited to him, counted it to him as righteousness. God called it, counted it as something that it was not.

20. 23, Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24, But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

a. This wasn’t written to Abraham alone, but to us also. In the same manner in the same likeness it is imputed to our account as well; if we believe on him that raised up Jesus from the dead. This was written for us so that we could see the manner, the pattern of Abraham’s justification that we also might follow in like manner.

21. 25, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

a. Delivered as a criminal is delivered for our crimes. This verse separates the two actions of Christ on our behalf. The death and the resurrection.

b. Death. Christ died on our behalf. However his death was what paid or satisfied the law and penalty for our sins. However, it did nothing more than that. It says he was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification. If Christ had gotten off the cross and said, your sins are paid for, see what you can do with the rest of your life. See if you can keep the law, the commandments, still got to keep them. Go ahead and do the best you can and I’ll come check you out at the end of life. Okay, hope you can keep this whole thing going, I’m leaving. Keep the worlds from colliding, the universe in its axis, yourself from disease and sickness, your all going to die anyway. And walk off. Yes, your forgiven but so what? You still live on planet earth, subject to disease and sickness and death. Just because he died for you and paid for your sin, doesn’t make you a son of God. Doesn’t give you a new body, it just paid the debt.

Resurrection. But when Jesus was raised from the dead, you were raised with him. That took you out of the old Adam and put you into the new Adam and made you a son of God. He not only paid your debt but adopted you. He said son you owe a debt too big for you, I’m going to pay it and going to adopt you. And I’m going to make you head of the company. You’re a rich man now. Jesus didn’t only pay for our sins, he placed us in the family. That is grace no top of grace, abounding grace. Though he died for our sin, he rose to justify us and impute to us not only his death but his life also. So that we receive his title, his name, his riches, his wealth, his peace, his life, his love, his favor, and a home in heaven. He makes us sons and daughters as well.

Romans 3: All the World Guilty

2011-08-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Romans 3

1. 1, What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision?

a. In other words, if it didn’t matter whether being circumcised or not; if it was only necessary to obey the law, and that the uncircumcised could do it as well, then the question follows; why would God institute circumcision (rhetorical question)? They weren’t asking the question, but trying to disqualify Paul’s argument. if circumcision doesn’t count for circumcision and those who’ve never been circumcised are considered circumcised because it is of the heart, then what good is it? The Jews placed allot of emphasis on circumcision for lawful cleanliness, national pride and tradition. Even among the NT believers there was a great dissention regarding gentile believers following circumcision that it resulted in the first church council of Jerusalem.

b. They were saying, Paul your argument is faulty. For if circumcision in itself is nothing, then God instituted a vain act. They would respond that there would be no purpose to it, therefore your argument is wrong.

c. There is no doubt why God did not require circumcision of the finger, or toe, or that he chose men and not women to fulfill this act. There is no doubt as to why this part of the male anatomy, his sexual member. A majority of men think and plan with respect to this member; whether consciously or unconsciously. Deliberately or undeliberately. It is no surprise that God would have them sever the extra flesh as a reminder and memorial to put away the carnal lust that would use this member unrighteously. When dealing with sin, God goes right to the source. What advantage is circumcision if it is one outwardly and the reminder and memorial are on the outside and do nothing to the inside? God’s methods are designed at affecting change of the heart. To get us to think and reason and thereby come in agreement with God and follow Him by faith.

2. “2, Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (answer to question).

a. God delivered his word to the Jews, they received the special revelation and distinction. The righteousness of God, the mind of God, the will of God, the faith of God like Abraham. The revelation and salvation that would come to all who put their faith in God from the OT to the NT saints would be ushered in by the plan, work and revelation of God through His word.

b. Rom 9:4,5. Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5, Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

3. 3, For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

a. The Jewish argument is: Paul, if this is God’s Messiah and the one he promised from the word of God, the law and the prophets, then how come the people to whom it was intended never believed? Since the main body of the Jewish nation didn’t believe or receive it, doesn’t that prove he wasn’t the Jewish Messiah? Doesn’t that prove that since the gentiles did receive and believe that he’s a gentile Messiah or God?

b. Faith of God. Not God’s personal faith but “the faith”, the message of God, keep the faith of God, the gospel.

c. Would it make it of no effect or void or empty if they didn’t believe? Paul answers in v4.

4. 4, God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

a. God forbid. When it comes to a contest between truth and error we stand on the word of God. We don’t run to the commentaries, we don’t run to Christian helps books, we don’t look to the philosophers and wise men of the day, the critics, our logic, we STAND on the word of God. Whether we understand it or not; whether we like it or not; whether it agrees with our understanding or doctrine or not – we believe the word of God, we stand with God and let all others, all claims and arguments fall to the wayside; all scientific claims, all cultural and social paradigms, all political correctness and pressures of the world. This is not always easy and may cost you friendships, relationships, family ties and perhaps your life.

b. Men and their arrogance often stand in judgment of God, his word, his mind, his ways.

c. Ps 51:4 they were judging God.

5. “5, But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man).”

a. Restatement of argument. Paul is making sure they understand that he didn’t make up this argument; it’s not his argument, he’s just restating the argument, speaking as a man.

b. Argument. The argument is an indictment against God that our unrighteousness commends, approves, glorifies and magnifies the righteousness of God.

There are several premises in this argument. 1-Premise) My sin glorifies God; in other words wrongdoing brings more to light right-doing. I wouldn’t have known that God was a truth teller till someone lied, I wouldn’t have known God was merciful till I saw someone being unmerciful and ruthless and cruel. 2-Premise) the more I sin, 3-Conclusions) the more God is glorified. Therefore I should not be blameworthy. If I am elevating God’s righteousness when I sin, I am only fulfilling my role. I sin, God forgives, he is glorified why fault me for it? This is not God’s, Paul’s or any gospel. It is their logic and Paul is just restating it. In other words, they were saying that Paul was teaching and promoting his followers to sin because it glorifies God, magnifies God. Truly, the brightness of God’s righteousness is revealed against the darkness of my sin. God’s greatest treasure is manifested when displayed against my wickedness. When I sin, God’s grace is further magnified when by His grace he forgives me of my sin. Therefore they say when I continue sinning and God continues to forgive, it shows that God is a God of greater love and greater mercy. That’s their thinking. So the argument is, if my sin commends God, glorifies God, magnifies God then why am I worthy of judgment as a sinner? Since God is glorifying himself through my sin, and he is working and manipulating all things to glorify himself, and I am just a means to His ends of glorifying himself, then why am I found guilty?

c. Objection. The Jews objection is that they saw Paul teaching and rejoicing that the sinner believes in Jesus Christ, confessing and professing Jesus Christ and the sinner has not even obeyed the law yet. He’s still a sinner, they thought. That this couldn’t be the true message because you’re suggesting that God is glorified in him being a sinner; that God is getting glory from saving the sinner still in his sin, without him stopping his sinning, without him obeying the law yet. This is their thinking. Not too far from the truth. It wouldn’t be in their best interest to come up with a total lie. Too easy to dismiss, this argument was mixed with some truth. So that their hearers would agree that they heard Paul say these things and lead them to a faulty conclusion.

d. Jewish mind. They are very proud of their wisdom, their logic, their knowledge. They absolutely enjoy debates and discussions and arguments and intricacies of the law. They absolutely live for it, they delight in it. No doubt they had picked this apart and come up with this argument and were absolutely and totally delighted to be able to throw this stumbling block into Paul’s path. And to offer this as reason to the Jewish people, why they should laugh and mock, and ridicule the gospel rather than believe it. The main Jewish body had not believed it. To the Jewish mind, there was no allowance for sin. They thought they kept the law by their traditions (which weren’t true; Talmud, Mishnah). To the Jew God didn’t forgive gentile sinners, they thought themselves righteous and above others. The righteous and chosen of God. There were those who didn’t sin and those who did. They see Paul presenting a gospel that forgives anyone no matter what sin they’ve done. That he was teaching a gospel taking the worst kind of sinner, forgiving him and calling him a saint - holy. Immediately making him righteous and acceptable to God. They were saying that was absurd. They’re objecting that Paul is rejoicing that they profess Jesus Christ, rejoicing that they received Jesus Christ and haven’t obeyed the law yet. As they were assessing Paul’s arguments they would have surmised that Paul is teaching that if 1) sin glorifies God, 2) then the more they sin, Conclusion) the more God is glorified. So that Paul seemed to be promoting sin. However, it comes from a faulty logic. They were thinking if A and B, then C must be true. They came to a faulty conclusion based upon a faulty premise. If my sin glorifies God, then the more I sin, then the more God is glorified. Therefore, Paul must be teaching for them to continue sinning. This is not archaic thought, but reflects what people think today.

e. Calvinistic Mind. This thinking comes from a Calvinistic mind. That God is sovereign, and that all things must originate and come from Him in order for him to be completely sovereign. So that God is even the author and originator of sin. So that: 1) if God does something and creates me a sinner; and 2) then God manipulates things so that in the end he ultimately works it out for his glory; 3-Conclusion: how can I be responsible? Since God is the ultimately responsible for creating sin, and isn’t He the creator of evil? And he is doing all of this for his own glory; that he creates the wicked for the Day of Judgment for his glory. Why then are you faulting me? Aren’t I just a means to his ends? After all it’s my nature to sin; I’m made that way, created, born that way; that’s my role in the universe. I sin, God forgives and get’s glory from it, why are you going to fault me for it? They believe that God doesn’t have the right to judge me. That God is ultimately responsible for wickedness, sin and evil and my sinful condition. And that he’s ultimately working it to glorify Himself. And that I really shouldn’t be at fault or blamed for it.

f. Assumption: 1-premise) God’s sovereignty involves Him directing sin and 2-premise) man’s inability to act in a way that is morally righteous makes him not responsible. So that God is responsible and man is not responsible, then 3-conclusion) God doesn’t have the right to fault me or judge me, it’s his doing. Most people haven’t followed the path of their logic to conclusion; or articulated their thoughts; but it is still reflected in their thinking.

g. This doctrine is not too far off from today. This is not some archaic position or argument. So this was the objection to the whole gospel. If it’s true that our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, IS GOD THEREFORE UNRIGHTEOUS for damning the sinner since he’s ultimately responsible for the sinner sinning? Paul’s response to the argument in V5 follows?

6. 6, God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

a. Paul’s response. Paul seems to condescend down to their presupposition. He is accepting their argument that God is glorified in forgiving and saving the sinner. That God has turned humanities sin to his own glory which is true. Our Christian heritage reflects that in our songs, in our writings and testimonies. Amazing Grace, At the Cross, Nothing but the Blood, Pilgrims Progress, Movies etc. We have been pulled from the mire of sin and God is absolutely glorified in saving sinners. Paul, the apostles and disciples were preaching this. They would teach them the beautiful gospel of forgiveness, showing them divine and holy things how Jesus took all our sins away and nailed them to His cross. But the Jews said that is blasphemy that God should benefit from sinners sinning. They observed Paul telling sinners that Jesus will forgive their sin. That if they sin, come to Jesus and he will cleanse them from all unrighteousness. For they reasoned, if Paul and the rest are teaching this then they must also be teaching they should keep on sinning. Their assumption wasn’t true.

b. Now referring back to V5 and the Calvinistic mind; If God did that, and is responsible for sin, and that it is his fault, then he would not be qualified to judge the world. If God is the cause of men sinning and is glorifying himself by that means then he is at fault. Paul is stating that he would object to God’s qualifications to judge if this were true he couldn’t sit on the bench. Paul would challenge God as unrighteous if this were true. He would protest at God sitting on the Judges seat. If God is wrong, then he needs to be called wrong. Truth demands that this not be true. For God IS truth, he is the standard and creator of truth. However, even this sovereign God has sovereignly limited himself to the boundaries of truth. Though he has the resources, He doesn’t operate outside of truth.

7. “7, For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?”

a. Paul is continuing the argument. If I lie, and truth is glorified through my lie why judge me? As mentioned before, the Jews were observing Paul’s delight as dirty, filthy, rotten Gentile sinners responded to the message that their sins are forgiven, no matter what they’d done. That God was being somehow glorified in that. In addition, those who’d come to faith were told that their sins would be forgiven if they confess to God; he was faithful to forgive their sin and cleanse them from ALL unrighteousness. Their logic brought them to a conclusion that Christians were promoting God was being glorified by sinners and that they could keep on sinning because it only glorified Him further. Some of these claims were bordering on heresy and truth. The Jews were reasoning that since God was glorified from these sinners, then their sinning was glorifying God and the more they sinned, the more God was magnified. The forgiveness of sin was a foreign concept from the law. The sacrifices were viewed as an appeasement, an offering of reconciliation. But the law did not offer relationship between God and man. Mount Sinai solidified that. Man could not approach God apart from the mediator Moses. Moses had to intercede on their behalf.

b. Truth isn’t truth because God says so; truth is truth because it IS truth. Truth stands above even God’s name. It is part of his nature, his character, his creation; it reflects him and is reflected in the laws of logic, justice, morality, critical thinking etc. Truth is truth not by might but by right!

c. Ps 138:2, I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

8. “8, And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.”

a. There were those Jews among them that would follow him around challenging everything he would say, that were promoting slanderous things against Paul. It had to have some elements of truth in it to be believable. Something like, “Paul said you can keep on sinning because God will forgive you and that glorifies and magnifies God’s grace.” The hearer would say, well I heard Paul say that God would forgive my sin. And that where sin excels, grace excels even more. But their conclusion to keep on sinning was false. Paul says, their damnation is just who twist and slander the gospel. Some of the lies border on the line of truth and heresy.

9. “9, What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;”

a. Turning the tables. Paul turns the tables again just like he did at the beginning of Chapter 2. Remember how he led us in judgment of the fornicators, lesbians and sodomites, liars such; and then turned the pointed finger at us? He’s doing it again.

b. Are we better than those who slanderously say these heretical things? We might say, well I don’t teach those things, I don’t promote continuing in sin, I don’t do those things. Did you think you are better than them? Perhaps, I thought I was. Paul says, in no wise… ALL are under sin.

a. Paul is stating that we have already proved that ALL are under sin. There are no exclusions. Whether of Gentile origin or Jewish origin, all are under sin. How did he do it? By showing “for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest does the same things.” Remember this is companion to Math 7: 1, Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2, For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. It was that damnable ruler. The ruler of damnation. Self condemnation by the truth that you hold.

c. The Gentile, the Jew. The Gentile sinner is damned by the truth that he holds. For that when they KNEW God they neither glorified him as God nor were thankful. For the Jew, the law condemns them that don’t do the whole law; if they neglect or trespass against one aspect they’re guilty as if they kept none of it. Those who do the law, regardless of their origin are a law unto themselves. If by natural revelation they keep what the law entails, then they uphold the standard of the law and are accounted as if they kept all the law. The law was a real offer, but that no one could achieve.

i. Do you remember how Jesus also used this logic when speaking to a rich leader in Mat 19:16-24? The leader said “good master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Jesus knew that there were none good, not Moses nor Abraham, Elijah, John, the apostles. He knew that this man had used this title repeatedly to the Pharisees, Saducees, lawyers and teachers and knew that the man saw Jesus as mortal said then of himself that he cannot be good. If he is good, then he is not mortal. Challenging him to recognize this truth and stop calling sinners good. Jesus told him to keep the law which the man stated that he did from his youth. Furthering his plea, Jesus then says get rid of all the wealth you have and follow me. Was this another alternative way to salvation? It was a real offer, but the man could not achieve it. Why? Because he did not want to, for he was very rich and didn’t want to give away the very thing that was keeping him from saving faith in God not in his riches.

d. Remember why God did that theoretical salvation? Do you remember that the law had the same offer of salvation as for the heathen offer in chp 2:7 that none could achieve. Its purpose, to drive them to the finished work of Christ.

e. The Christian. Now that we’ve dealt with the Gentile and the Jew, what about those professing to be Christians? Are they under sin? If you go to church several times a week, bible study and personal devotions, fast, pray, listen to Christian worship music all day, read Christian self help books, meals on wheels ministry, maybe even teach a bible study, or are a pastor or theologian. Do these things get you into a category of people who are NOT under sin? If not, what does? What does it mean to be UNDER sin and how do you not be UNDER sin? Just like it sounds, to be under is to be subservient like a master to a servant. Rom 6:16 “know ye not, whomsoever you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servant you are to whom you obey? Whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness.” So to not be under sin is to not be servant to it. Not yielding your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

10. 10, As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

a. Paul is making a declarative that there are none righteous in and of themselves; no not even one person. Not Abraham, not Moses, not mother Theresa or the Pope, not Billy Graham, your dear old Grandmother or anyone, no not one. This is bible doctrine.

b. Paul spent a long time speaking about what is in the heart of man, what he does left to himself. In fact, if God were to reveal our thought life like “the Truman show” for the whole world to see, we would be embarrassed and ashamed, we would cower and hide, contemplate suicide to remove the pain of the revealing. Yet, all men are unrighteous. Some day all things will be revealed. The righteous covered by the blood of Christ, the unrighteous unveiling to their damnation. Paul then continues to describe how and why there is none righteous.

11. 11, There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

a. “None that understands” is not inferring an intellectual void. It is not lack of information. But the unwillingness of the heart to perceive had it not been closed. Had it not taken truth and rejected, purged and refused entry. It is a purposeful, as 2:28 states “even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge”. What did they do? “They changed God into one they could manage, made in their own image. They changed the truth into a lie and didn’t like to retain the truth in their knowledge. That is why “none understandeth” - they don’t want to.

b. None seek God. The natural tendency of man is to full-fill himself. By whatever means. Some of those means are even religious. Even religious endeavor is self seeking. Man does not seek God for the sake of righteousness, the love of righteousness. He does not seek God to glorify him, magnify Him, and promote His name. Man does not offer up his soul to see God worshiped. He doesn’t give himself with abandon to worship his creator. Man is not thankful to the One who gave them all things. Paul is stating fact, that all men don’t seek God. If a man has come to God, it is by God’s leading, prompting, persuading, reasoning, speaking to that man’s heart and soul. God brings his words to that man’s ears, he believes, he responds; he repents toward God and puts his faith in Him. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

12. 12, They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

a. This is solid biblical doctrine right here.

b. All of mans best efforts corporately and individually, are together unprofitable. No profit, no value, it’s a wasted investment it would seem! Man in his intention and motives are self seeking, so that even the good that he does, is wicked, is abhorrent, is an unclean thing. Paul is stating emphatically that there is not one person on the planet past, present and future that is good save Jesus. He needs to take us down this road in order to get to where he’s taking us. We need to acknowledge that even our best efforts, our best intentions are not good. Why do we need to see this? It is absolutely imperative that we understand this, so that God can now share the gospel with us. This not of works but by faith. We enter in by faith, evidence of our entry is works. Those good works not done with an unregenerate heart, but by one that has been transformed.

13. 13, Their throat is an open sepulchre;

a. Sepulchre. This was a honed out cave for burial. They would put the body inside, however, they were usually family tombs. So when a spouse would die, they would gather the bodies together with the other perished members of the family. They would roll away the stone from the entry, the stench and putrefication. You would stare into a dark, dank and rank hole in the rock. Knowing that there are dead things maggot infested, creatures chewing and worming their way through corpses. This is a strong example of how the human throat is perceived.

b. As you stare into men’s throats, they are likened to a sepulcher. A place where darkness and stench and foul things and dead things lie.

14. with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

a. To help visualize, it could be a beautiful woman’s lips. Poison of asps is behind the lips of the snake. When she opens her mouth its not to kiss you but to bite you. To inject her poison into your life. Either directly or behind your back. Still looking down her throat, the poison of asps lays waiting to sting and to strike and to kill. Reputation, lies, etc.

b. Deceit is used to include all forms of lies so that nothing escapes. Someone may say they don’t lie just omit things or etc. That is deceit; therefore this word is more encompassing.

15. 14, Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

a. Cursing. This is not using profanity necessarily. We think of cursing as taking God’s name in vain. Blurting out Jesus’ name in a heat of profane volleys. But cursing is not that. It is consigning someone to the nether regions. Wising them to fires of hell. You can curse someone with high quality words without using one “curse” word.

b. Bitterness. It is wishing hurt on someone. Having malice and hatred towards another. It is having feelings and thoughts of violence or revenge. Retaining a like or pleasure of seeing that person have harm or tortured done in some way to them. Bitterness is cancer that kills from within. It will destroy not only you, but the people around you. If the seed of bitterness is planted in the soil of the heart, it will over grow with weeds that will choke off the spirit.

16. “15, Their feet are swift to shed blood:” Government, military, abortion etc.

17. “16, Destruction and misery are in their ways:17, And the way of peace have they not known:”

a. Generally, people are not happy but looking for happiness all manner of things; in marriage or relationships; money or careers. Glory, Gold or Girls. They are unsettled, unfulfilled looking for fulfillment to quench the bitterness of loneliness, disappointment, unfulfilled glory, lack and spiritual bankruptcy.

i. Nationally, the suicide rate increased 3 percent from 11.2 suicides per 100,000 population in 2006 to 11.5 in 2007. The rate has fluctuated since 2000, ranging from a low of 10.4 in 2000 to a high of 11.5 in 2007, with a mean rate of 11.0 (see chart below). The 2007 suicide rate is the highest since 1995.

ii. Current rates for every age group between 25 and 84 have increased. The most significant increases occurred in individuals aged 25 to 34 (12.3 in 2006 to 13.0 in 2007), 45 to 54 (17.2 to 17.7), and 55 to 64 (14.5 to 15.5). The rate of 17.7 for 45- to 54-year-olds is the highest for any age group in the country, while the rate for 55- to 64-year-olds showed the greatest increase from the previous year.

iii. Every 15 minutes someone dies by suicide. It remains the 11th leading cause of death in this country. Though suicide attempts are not reported, it is estimated that close to one million people make a suicide attempt each year.

iv. There is no peace in Hawaii (5^th highest suicide rate), there is no peace in Tahiti or Hollywood or Wallstreet. There is allot of misery though.

18. 18, There is no fear of God before their eyes.

a. Fear of God or Fear of the Lord. Of God occurs 8 of the Lord 3 times in scripture.

b. Gen_20:11, And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. CC: fear of men who don’t have it can lead to bad decisions.

c. 2Sa_23:3, The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.1 CC: Speaking of an attribute necessary for leadership.

d. 2Ch_20:29, And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. CC: when fighting against God.

e. Neh_5:15, But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. CC: motive to serve and bare a burden.

f. Psa_36:1, To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. CC: the wicked give no consideration that by their evil they must give account to God.

g. Rom_3:18, There is no fear of God before their eyes. CC: Speaking of man, his quality, what he has done with his free will. He did not like to retain God in their knowledge.

h. 2Co_7:1, Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. CC: This is the affect that fearing God has. It sees the promise of God, considers and cleanses. Both our flesh and spirit need cleansing. Perfecting the indwelling relationship, unfettered, un-estranged, but flourishing fellowship day by day.

i. Eph_5:21, Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. CC: One is not prideful, cockey and dominating when he has experienced God’s chastening.

j. Psa_111:10, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. CC: Fearing produces wisdom to avoid wrongdoing and punishment and judgment.

k. Pro_1:7, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.4 CC: Contrast of the wise and fool. The fool despises application of knowledge and correction. Some want instant gratification, just tell me; give me the benefit of the answer without the work or experience. Let me take the shortcut. A wise man makes a mistake, learns and corrects the mistake next time.

l. Pro_9:10, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. CC: Wisdom is the application of knowledge; understanding how to use knowledge.

m. Ananias and Saphira. They lied to the Holy Spirit and were killed. God got the effect he wanted as it caused great fear among all the churches. Act5:5-11. Having fear of God is not just reverence but knowing that God could make you weak, sick or even kill you to keep you in the faith. Remember the scripture about taking Communion unworthily. 1Cor 11:27-31. God disciplines those that are his. Rev 3:19 as many as I live I rebuke and chasten.

19. “19, Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

a. The law shuts mouths and creates convicts full of guilt. JURY DUTY. This is the purpose of the law.

b. You see there might have been some Jewish holdouts saying. Hey we are the righteous because we hold a higher righteous standard and keep the law. However, the law will condemn them for no man has kept the law as God has testified in Romans, Galatians 2, etc. “That Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God. I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness came by the law then Christ is dead in vain.”

c. Every mouth stopped. This is what the law does, it shuts every mouth, it stops every excuse, and it silences every objection. It leaves the man standing there naked and guilty, having been indicted, tried and been found guilty as charged. The law, whether of the scriptures or the truth one holds, would leave that man or woman completely without excuse, left void of utterance, their words swallowed up in the verdict of their sin. That it would move them to surrender that it’s not God’s fault, it’s not my supposed sinful nature, it’s not someone else’s fault. It’s my fault and I am worthy of the flames of hell. I am blameworthy and deserve all the damnation I will receive. It was in my feet and where I went; it was in my hands and the things I’ve done; it was in my eyes and the things I let in to corrupt my soul; it was in my ears and the things that corrupted my heart; it was in my mouth and the things I’ve said; behind my lips and the deceit I gave, it was under my tongue and the bite and the sting and the venom I unleashed with the things I’ve said and the reputations and integrity of others I’ve killed. There is no one else to pass responsibility, no place to hide, I and I alone am to blame and worthy of the perditions flames and my mouth is stopped. And having shut the mouth, the soil of the heart having been plowed and cultivated, the stony rocks of self righteousness or justification having been up heaved and only now is the heart ready for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

d. The law was designed to pull us from our strong holds and draw us out. That we would be drawn from security in ourselves, our self righteousness and works. That I would no longer say, “I am not as bad as those other people”. That I would no longer hide behind my deeds of giving money to the man holding the cardboard sign to validate my good works. There would be no place given to my works at all but they would be discarded as unworthy before the tribunal of God. The law was designed to lead us to Christ, to throw ourselves on the mercy of the court and repent toward God and put our faith in the finished work of Jesus. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

20. 20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

a. I would not have known sin had it not been for sin. The universe would not know what a lie was until someone lied. It would not have known deceit and malice until someone ripped me off, stolen my money and laughed in my face. The law said you shouldn’t steal. Therefore, stealing was made the object of judgment. It was manifest that stealing was sinful it was wrongdoing. The law brought that fact to light and condemned it and all who did it. That those who would partake are worthy of damnation. Those who partake of sexual fornication are worthy of hell. In fact it is uncomfortable to hear the law because it forces us to self examine and find for the prosecution. Though we would deny it, the truth condemns us mercilessly.

b. Contradiction? This verse says that no flesh will be justified by the law. In Chapter 2:13 it says not the hearers of the law but the doers of the law shall be justified. Is there a contradiction? It is saying here in chapter 3 that no flesh will be justified by the law and in chapter 2 that the doers are justified. There is no contradiction, remember in chapter 2, as Paul was developing his argument, there was a theoretical offer of salvation made to the sinner. If they kept the law they would be saved. However, remember Paul tells them that no man has kept the law. Gal 3:10 “…cursed is every on e that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident that the just shall live by faith…v13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law…”

c. Rom 7:7-13.

21. 21, But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

a. The law depicts the righteous standard of God. However, it was not complete, it was a sub framework. There were limitations on it of culture, dispensation specific, time sensitive, ethnic limitations. It was only directed at the Jews not the whole human race at all times but for a limited dispensation of time. It was specific and directed at one group of people for a limited time. Gal_3:19, Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made…” The law was added in the process of something that preexisted for a purpose which would terminate when “the seed should come” Christ. The law was limited in scope and duration with a purpose of being inserted into God’s program to accomplish His plan in this group. However, God’s intention was the larger picture, was the larger scope - the whole world. But he hadn’t intended to do so until Christ died and rose, having provided a legal remedy in which to save them.

b. Proof of this.

i. Mat_10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6, But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

ii. Mat_15:24 (woman of Canaan with possessed daughter beseeched Jesus) 24, But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25, Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26, But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27, And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28, Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

c. The law was not directed at the gentiles nor was Jesus’ ministry. But now… the intended purpose would be offered to the the whole world.

d. The Jews would challenge this statement. They would say, how on earth are you going to prove God’s righteousness without the law? Paul is not setting aside the law, but in addition to the law, higher and deeper and broader and over the law. God’s righteousness was manifest before the law, and even testified by the prophets. In fact, he would say, your own scripture prophecies and predicts that this righteousness would come about. That it would be delivered by a mediator, a person and not by the law. Your own prophets testify so.

e. The Jew would be in-sensed at this proclamation, would have challenged him directly, demanding of him, show us the pages where it shows that there is a righteousness that is coming APART from the law and the prophets!

i. Jer 23:5 5, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6, In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

ii. Jer 33:16, In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.

1. And its not saying that the Jews are righteous, it saying “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” The Jews knew that their own writings of the prophets predicted such a one would come. They knew that their would come a day when the Messiah would come and dwell among them. He is reminding them of this prediction.

iii. Dan 9:24, Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” God was going to do something among his people Israel, part of what he was doing was to bring in everlasting righteousness in the process of anointing the Most Holy – the Messiah.

22. 22, Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

a. What is the righteousness of God? When we speak of the righteousness of David, you think about the things that David did. When you speak of the righteousness of me or you, you think of the things we’ve done. Likewise, it is applied the same way to God. There should be a picture of God in all of his acts and deeds. God is a righteous God as expressed in the life of Jesus Christ.

b. “faith of Jesus Christ” is not Christ’s faith. It is “the faith” that God has established. It is the message and method by which God saves. It is the work of salvation by faith as contrasted against the works of the law. This is something apart from a New Covenant a new message, a new method to which one is saved and apart from the law.

i. Gal 2:16-21

ii. Gal 3:22-23 22, But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23, But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

c. UNTO ALL versus UPON ALL. Jesus died and made available to all the world 1Jn2:1-2. But it unto all, but only UPON all that believe. Jew and Gentile, male, female, slave or free it is unto all. Having knowledge of the righteousness by faith doesn’t make it upon you. It comes upon you when you exercise faith in this system called “the faith of Jesus Christ”.

23. 23, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

a. For all have sinned. He is not going back to prove his point “all are under sin”. He is saying the reason that this is so, because all have sinned this was necessary.

b. This is the punch line again, this is the point of Chapter 3, this is the reality needed in order to understand God’s grace, his mercy and incredible act of compassion as discussed in the mouth being stopped.

24. 24, Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

a. Freely. With no cost, no payment from ourselves. God was not constrained to justify man. It was his compassion, his pity on our hopeless state, we being unable to remedy the situation and having nothing to offer, nothing to stand on, nothing to contribute. God reached down into the flames of hell and extracted man from his fate. But only for those who by sanctifying faith in the finished work of Christ was UPON them.

b. Means. What was the means of justification? Redemption is the liberation procured by payment of a ransom – Jesus’ death. God established a basis by which all souls could be redeemed. When God redeemed us whom was the payment made? (theologies: devil, god of this world, outlaw. Pay the law: inanimate, it only judges, no appeasement). God payed himself. He ransomed the sinner from the principles of his own justice. Why? Why not just excuse the debt? He is high counselor and moral governor and ruler over the universe. He has a responsibility over all rules in the universe and how they operate. He has myriads of moral beings watching his government. It is imperative that the subjects have respect for that governor. The quickest way to destroy the favor and blessings of the people is to be arbitrary in applying the law. He could not pronounce the death sentence on sin and then just let David get buy though he committed adultery and murder because he liked him. But I’m going to damn Saul, God would be charged with biasness, respect of persons and undue favor. He’d be charged with not obeying his own law; law and order would break down and rightly so, because there would be no firm law left in the universe. Only capriciousness and arbitrary application based on whims no sound law. So when Christ died on the cross, he died to pay himself and the price he demanded for sin and declaring to all moral subjects that God is a God who works according to law. That the wages of sin is death and the price will be paid. So God paid himself to pave the way to forgive the sinner. Appease himself and not man.

25. 25, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

a. Set forth. To set on display. When you set forth something, you want all to see it, for the purpose of showing it off. I go to civil war reenactments. There they have for sale real vintage civil war sabers and guns of all sorts. They are very pricey, but very cool. I can only afford replicas which I have set forth in our study room so that if anyone came and got a tour of my home I would show them my Americana room with confederate and union swords crossed with their respective scabbards. I would tell you about the swords and what rank would have carried them. Likewise God set forth, put on display, Jesus to be propitiation.

b. Propitiation. Heb9:5 mercy seat. That is a legal payment for a dept to satisfy God’s wrath and the demand for death. God established in the law, as a model of what Christ would do, the transfer of guilt onto the “sacrificial lamb”. That lamb would have its throat slit, cut open, organs pulled out and burned and its BLOOD sprinkled on the mercy seat on behalf of the penitent. In order for the man to transfer, he must have faith in the blood. The blood is the key. Without the blood there is no remission of sin. Faith in the blood is just like at the first Passover. Death was there, a reality, the first born son would say to his daddy, “daddy, tonight the angel of death is going to kill the first born, and I am the first born right daddy. Yes son. Daddy am I going to die? He would say to him, son, have faith in the blood. You see the blood on our doorposts, God said as long as we have that blood on our doorposts the angel of death will pass right over our house and nothing will happen to you. Just trust in the blood. In fact son, it’s not your faith but the blood that is of issue. It is the blood that is needed not your perfect faith in it.” Just like with Jesus. God says call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, believe on him and you will be saved. It is through the blood payment for sin was made, it is through the blood transfer of your sin was accomplished; it was through the blood that the legal remedy was realized. How could Jesus’ death transfer your sin?

c. Justification. How could the law be satisfied with an innocent death, when the perpetrator was you? How is that just? Shouldn’t the weight of the penalty of the law be on me? YES!!! When a person puts their faith in Christ a phenomenon happens. God doesn’t set them free of the law of death (for the wages of sin is death), he puts them to death as the law states. God says that he kills us, we are baptized into his death just as the law demands. However, we are baptized into his crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. So just as Christ was crucified, died and was buried so we are also. And like as Christ was raised from the dead, even so we are resurrected. So that as alive as Christ is alive, so we are alive with him. In other words, we live vicariously through Christ. God says there shall no flesh be saved. In fact, there will be no flesh in heaven. None shall survive. Man must die because that is what the law demands. However, we are made alive by the resuscitating Spirit of God breathing life into these dead bodies. “Therefore, if any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW creation. Old things are passed away and behold all things are become new.” Without Christ there is no life, without Christ the penalty of the law is still upon me. The law demanded our death, there were those in hell and those in paradise within the confines of Hades – the pit. What separated them was faith in God. Though no propitiation had yet been made to deal with their sin, therefore they remained in hell. But God made one side beautiful and cool with fresh running water and peace and comfort. But within eyeshot there were those in torment.

d. Confessing - forgiveness. Today’s theology teaches that Christ only died for past sins. That when you become a believer that you need to confess your sins. There is a movement within Protestantism to confess your sins. How can I dare think that if I had even one sin that was not forgiven that my confession would absolve me I would be on shakey, unstable ground. I have no faith in my confession in order to deal with my sins. The teaching states that you need to confess your sins in order for them to be forgiven. I may question I was fervent enough or sincere enough, or maybe I’d return to it, proving that I didn’t really mean it and therefore have sin on my account until I can make a proper, and sincere and adequate enough confession to deal with my sins. I would be forever questioning my salvation and my status before God. This confession doctrine doesn’t keep you from sinning only keeps you from the joy of your salvation. If Christ didn’t deal with my sin entirely I would be in a miserable state having entered into the holy of holies, having entered into the heavenly realm only to be cast down back to the muck and mire from which I came. This teaching comes from Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Anglican theology not bible theology. If we sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous. Jesus’ advocacy is not stimulated by my confession. It is uninterrupted, continuous and not based upon my act at all.

e. Past Sins. What are past sins? They are the sins committed by Moses, David, Elijah etc. those people who were at that moment in hell. They were saved on credit. God saw their repentance, saw their works and was convinced that there was a Christian heart there in these OT saints. No propitiation had been made yet. They were waiting for Jesus to come and be the propitiation.

f. Forbearance. God had saved these on credit until the price would be paid. Having put them on layaway until the note was paid and he led captivity captive, the debt was cancelled and they were free. And he delivered them from hell and formally took them to heaven with him.

26. 26, To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

a. Public declaration. Justify those that were his, repented and believed. But he couldn’t do so but on proper legal grounds. He needed to stay just while doing it. In his death and public inspection he had to remain just in the act of justifying.

b. Justice. While God’s desire was to rescue man from the flames, he could not sacrifice justice. As the moral governor of the universe, he has subordinate moral beings watching and scrutinizing Him. For him to just say, I like Moses, and excuse his murder would be unjust. To excuse David’s adultery, deceit and murder would be unjust. So those OT faithful went to hell. But God made one side air conditioned – called paradise. Satan, the accuser of the brethren, would come before God’s throne having seen those in torment and those in paradise, saying why are those in torment and these are being blessed? Why is David down there I saw what he did. And God would say, my work is not finished yet. The devil would retort, I don’t understand. God would respond, I know you don’t but it’s not over yet. The devil looks into the air-conditioned paradise with jealousy. He can’t understand the difference. He’s looking in there saying what is the difference between these two groups. Maybe they didn’t worship false God’s but they pretty much did the same things. Some of them murdered, committed adultery and allot of the other things that this other group did. Why are these in the paradise side? God appeared to be unjust. There appeared to be favoritism, bias and injustice. He lived under that accusation for millennia until Christ would come and provide a legal solution in which to forgive.

27. 27, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

a. There is no law of faith. He is simply by parallel construction comparing justification by the works of the law to that by faith. By the law there was a keeping, a doing and therefore a boasting. With faith that is eliminated. For by believing righteousness is credited; by trusting a man is justified and there is no work in that. There is no work in the believing, for if Christ had not gone to the cross and risen the believing would be in vain.

28. 28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

a. The conclusion of that matter is that by the law no man will be justified, no man can uphold the righteous requirements of the law, and no work of the law can boast before God.

b. Justification absent of the law is not appealing to the prideful who want to boast of their works.

29. 29, Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30, Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

a. Hos 2:23 thou art my people, and thou art my God. This would infuriate the prideful Gentiles. That God would turn and love and favor dirty, rotten, filthy, Gentiles who were the rat dung of humanity would incense them beyond repair. And say to them in their filth and sin, you are my child, I love you, you’re my people. And they would look up from their idolatry without going through the law, circumcision, without proper initiation these rotten scum of the earth sinners would look up and say, “you are my God.” And the jew is still clinging to the dead cold stones of the law, no life, broken, guilty. And God has married a Gentile bride. The jew is left standing out in the cold as a member of a cult. The church is growing, filled with life. Paul started of the book of Romans saying I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation first to the Jew and then unto the Gentile. Paul is making his point that he is not ashamed of the gospel for it has done its job of righteousness and delivered from sin.

b. Distinction between “by” (Gk: ek by, out of, eminating from) and “through” (Gk: dia, through a channel or means) in regards to their justification. Can be used interchangeably. However used here differently. Ex Rom 11:36 by through to-if same then redundant-initiator and means. Those of the circumcision who had the law and put their faith in God already (like Abraham), all they needed to do is direct that toward Christ. So it is “by” the faith that they already possessed in their hands that needed the object to be Christ. Verses those that did not have the promises and word of God, nor any faith for they did not yet possess it, would be justified “through” the revelation that they would receive, and be brought to faith by the Holy Spirit being the channel. Rom 10:17 Faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Commentaries say there is no difference in their usage here but have to resort to mentioning no difference because they see that there is a difference. They saw that the Greek construction indicated that there was a difference.

30. 31, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

a. The point of the law was to reflect God’s righteousness. The law was a mirror of the right doing of God. The DO NOT’s of the law were to demonstrate God’s “yard stick” with which he measures. Remember Rom 2:1 and Mat 7:1,2. Faith came not to abolish but to fulfill. Right doing was what the law demanded and faith is how it was accomplished. By believing God, I am imputed the righteousness of God. He became sin who knew no sin, that I might be made the righteousness of God.

b. Mat 5:17 like John was a forerunner, likewise the law has to precede the gospel. When Jesus came he didn’t contradict John. John’s message was for a time until Christ came. It had a dispensation a shelf life until it would be obsolete. There were those preaching the message of John after Christ’s resurrection that needed to be corrected. Not because it was wrong but because it had run its course and was superseded by a fuller revelation.

Why did Jesus have to die for me? Isn’t that a wrong upon a wrong? I must pay the consequences for my own sin. The law demands my death. From the Garden of Eden, man is separated from God. There is an irreconcilable division. God said that he must surely die. God removed man from the garden before he took of the tree of life and remained in this damnable separated state forever. God needed a means by which to forgive man, but it had to meet his just standards. Justice had to be preserved while reconciling man.

How did Christ provide a legal remedy to forgive and redeem me?

How did Christ transfer my guilt to himself? How did he do that and still be just? Before Christ, man is eternally separated from God and deserves damnation. Romans 3 tells us that all are under sin, none do good, none seek God they are all together unprofitable. So man in his sinful state comes empty handed before the throne of judgment. He stands indicted, tried and guilty. God then says, that they who have put their faith in the blood have the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus unto all and upon all that believe. God tells us that he comes into and abides with the man that obeys and puts his faith in Christ. Mat 7, Jn 14, 15. Holiness itself comes and makes resident in the sinner come to faith. If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away behold all things are become new. We are baptized into Christ Rom 6, Col 2. If I be in Christ and he be in me, we are one. We are so intertwined that I share his fate, and he shares mine. We are baptized into Christ are baptized into his crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. So that as dead as Christ was crucified so I am crucified, as dead as Christ is dead so am as well, as resurrected as Christ is, so am I. Though I was not there 2000 years ago, I was baptized into this; it is not about water it is a spiritual experience. That is what the water baptism is supposed to symbolize. So that Christ’s fate and my fate are intermingled, tied together, inseparable, insolvent and indivisible. Such that God says, Rom_8:39, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. He holds this command so greatly, that he challenges all creation, that none shall snatch them from my hand. Our fates bound, our futures sealed, my death satisfied the law as Christ’s death and my death were one. So that they that are IN Christ are a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. Jn 14 and 15 speak of this indwelling of the Holy Spirt, God himself making holy my temple. Since I am in Christ and Christ is in me, my transfer of guilt was complete. Jesus was made sin, who knew no sin that I might be made the righteousness of God. So my guilt, my sin was transferred to him who dwells in me, his death having satisfied the laws claim on my life I now live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 2: Developing the Measuring Stick

2011-08-28T17:43:00.000-07:00

Romans 2

Personal Perspective

Verses 1-7 are best described by an analogy of a street witness out of context. The question is asked to the person, what must you do to go to heaven? They might say “if your sincere and do the best you can” or “do good and try not to do bad and hopefully the good will weigh out the bad” or “just love everyone” and on the responses go. Paul is saying that okay, then by the “truth” that you hold your judgment will be. The first respondent rebut is were you always sincere, were there times you were not; did you always do the best you could? If not then your damned. The second respondent, did you truly do good and try not to do bad always? Did you indulge in sin without trying not to? if you did then you’re damned. The third have you loved everyone you’ve met? Have you ever hated anyone? If so you’re damned. In other words, each person according to the truth that they hold they will be damned. Their condemnation will be custom made according to their works. Paul doesn’t take the same approach as evangelical church takes, theologians, pastors and teachers. They preach that if you haven’t heard the gospel or received Jesus then your damned or damned because you sinned with Adam. This goes against the convictions of most people as they cannot accept being damned for something they’ve never heard or done.

Whether personal law (truth) or judgement of the mouth (proof of law one holds) both results in to dismiss one sin is the dismiss justice; Paul’s argument is to present fool proof case, customized per person no one can cry foul.

1. 1, Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man,

a. Therefore. What’s “therefore” there for? It’s referencing the things we just read; the list of sins and they who know the judgment of such things. Because of that there is no excuse. To them: Because you know that such things are damnable; because you know that such things are worthy of death, because you know such things you have NO EXCUSE. The truth you hold will condemn you who not only do the same but have pleasure in them who do them.

2. “whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things”.

a. Paul is not saying that all judgment stops and shuts down. He is not changing subjects from his message and now beginning some practical teaching on judging. He’s continuing with the same context. In fact if you hold any standard at all, any conviction at all you’re judging. The principle is simple, whatever standard you use to judge, you will be judged accordingly.

b. Analogy of the ruler. Your measure of truth, righteousness and judgment grows and develops with you. The highest moral standard that we hold is what we will be judged by. Not the corrupted truth, not the changed truth, but the truth that we held before we did not like to retain the knowledge and changed it, reduced it, made it more promiscuous, more convenient. God will hold us to the highest standard that we’ve held.

c. Judge. 132 times in the NT. G2919 - κρίνω krinō kree'-no. Here are some samples.

d. Matt 7: 1, Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2, For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

i. This is the most popular scripture at a strip club, bar or place of prostitution. This is the only scripture the wino knows besides Jesus drank wine. This is the most quoted in a church at a sermon. This is used by the masses to excuse, divert and justify before the judgment of God.

ii. This is why it is so important to understand that judgment comes by the truth one holds and that which the heart holds will measure the man and find him wanting. If there be any of the list of sins in the previous chapter, he is guilty and worthy of death. When one comes to this conclusion, more true conversions will take place and be ready for the good news, the gospel.

e. Luke 12: 57, Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

i. In other words, judging is a natural part of life. We discriminate against things all the time. Whether we hold our council to ourselves or are vocal, we judge and cannot help but do so. The human soul was given capacity to judge between good and evil, right and wrong. We were given a conscience to help us but some have seared their conscience. They held high moral standard but through the depravity and corruption and choices over the course of their lives they changed the truth of God into a lie. They said, that’s not really that wrong, no you seared your conscience. You say, my sins aren’t that bad. Others are really bad, hell was made for them. God won’t judge me for those that are common to man, everybody does those, they are just part of being human, they say. No, they’ve been given over to a reprobate mind. Their mind has been altered, they can no longer hear God, their minds glazed over unable to hear because of the hardness of their hearts. Having been pricked with the truth, having been convicted about their wrong doing by their conscience and not obeyed the truth they held, their heart grew over the pricks, grew thicker over the convictions till soon no more feeling was there and they became callous. No longer able to feel or hear but given over to their lusts.

f. Luke 19:12-27. Story of a noble man who went away to receive a kingdom, he gave his servants some money and said invest this while I’m gone. When he returned he summoned them to get an account. The first gained 10, the second gained 5, the third hid and returned the sum with no gain. His excuse picks up in v21-22 READ: Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee. He condemned himself by what came out of his mouth. Everyone that judges will have a tailor made judgment just for them. By the “truth” they profess not lies, not corrupted truth, changed or modified truth. But that truth which they hold, that truth which they “know” shall damn their soul. Not because they didn’t hear the gospel or didn’t receive Christ, but from the profession of their own mouth.

g. 2Sam 12:1-10. David’s sin with Bathsheba. “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.” David sitting in power and authority as judge had pronounced judgment on the man, but then finds out that it was himself. Out of his mouth he condemned himself to death. V13, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”

3. “2, But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.”

a. How are we sure the judgment is according to truth? Because it is tailor made for each sinner by the truth they held and confession of their mouth.

b. Paul is not giving us another gospel or method in which to get saved, he’s saying whatever truth you hold you’ll be judged.

4. “3, And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4, Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

a. Paul is saying, do you think that you’re getting away with adultery over the last two years and God has not damned your soul? Do you despise the longsuffering of God because he hasn’t exposed you to the world for doing pornography? Do you despise the longsuffering of God for not having damned your soul for doing the same things?

b. Sun and rain on the just and unjust alike. Mat_5:45” …for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

i. Two neighboring farmers. One uses his profits for good, the other for evil. The sun and rain fall upon both crops.

c. Self deception of God’s forbearance and longsuffering. Analogy of the water damn with the water level rising.

5. “ 5, But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”

a. Thy Hardness. How does one get hard? What is getting hard? The heart is hardened by the word of God bouncing off, being cast aside, not penetrating. Like conditioned knuckles, skin and bone that is repeatedly used and even abused, building callousness, with every strike. Building hardness able to break bricks and boards and not at all soft and pliable. Not letting God’s word sink in and penetrate and permeate.

b. Impenitence is different than unrepentant. Unrepentance is when a person has not turned from their sin because they’ve not been challenged to do so. Impenitence is when someone in the faced with the challenge to stop sinning and refuses to do so.

c. Dam analogy. Heaping up, piling up, the water level of wrath rising up until the day of wrath.

6. “6, Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”

a. This is the law before the gospel. Do good, you live, do evil and die. Obey the law and live, disobey the law and be killed. The law must always precede the gospel to demonstrate and show Man’s hopeless situation without God. Was there any that were able to keep the law? Let’s listen to the Apostle Paul answer this question.

b. The First Ecumenical Council of Jerusalem. There was contention between the sect of Pharisees and Gentiles. This was held in order to resolve what was to be observed in the law now that Gentiles were being saved.

c. The law could not save, no one could fulfill it. Remember what we read previously in Rom 1:17 that the just shall live by faith? The same quoted passage is found in Gal 3:11 (10-12)

i. Gal 3:10, (quoting Deut 27:26) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11, But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12, And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

7. “7, To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”

a. Wait is this another gospel? What about Act 4:12

i. Act 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

b. No, just like what we just read in the law that none were able to do the law, none were able to keep Sabbath etc. Was the law a theoretical salvation, is this verse here in Romans a theoretical salvation? Not at all. The offer is real; the word is true and binding. So then, does this mean that I can receive eternal life by patiently continuing in well doing, seeking for glory and honour and immortality? Yes, can any man do this? No, just like the law. No man continually does good, no not one. That is where Paul is taking us into Romans 3. That is Man’s whole problem in the first place. Then why is this verse here? Is it misleading by offering another way or alternative salvation?

c. Remember it follows and has the same purpose that the law had. The law to the Jew and without the law to the heathen.

i. Let’s pick up in Rom 7:7-13. READ. The law reveals the righteousness of God. The law was to make sin by the law, exceeding sinful.

ii. Gal 3:22-25. READ. The law was a schoolmaster, beating us, driving us to the cross of grace by Christ Jesus. No longer Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, slave nor free, but all are saved according to the promise of God.

d. Illustration of the Gold bar from Fort Knox. Was the offer real, yes. Had anyone ever done it? No. It was so that people would appreciate the value and character of Gold.

e. Jesus responds to a rich ruler, “What must I do to be saved”. Lk 18:18-22. Jesus tells him to keep the law; He didn’t give him the gospel, was this an alternative salvation? The man then “recognizing” that his keeping of the law was insufficient, Jesus tells him to sell all he has and follow him. How would Jesus’ evangelistic method work today? You ask Jesus, how do I get saved? He responds sell all you have, give it to the poor and become a vagrant preacher. Jesus is not playing with this guy; knowing that he had issues with wealth, says get rid of the thing that is keeping you from entering into heaven and follow me now.

8. “8, But unto them that are contentious,”

a. What is contentiousness? When someone says “I can’t believe that love could ever be wrong. As long as two people love each other it is good.” The sodomites, the fornicators,

9. “and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;”

a. Is this a truth that they didn’t know or is this wrath according to something they did know and didn’t obey? But they, by their free will, obeyed unrighteousness, wrong doing and are judged accordingly.

10. “10, But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good,”

a. Here is the offer! To those that patiently continue in well doing throughout their lives, seeking glory, honor and immortality; they get just that. That is the promise of their reward.

b. The Concept. Paul is laying out an airtight case that all are under sin. However, that the heathen would not cry foul but that justice would be according to the truth one holds. That the judgment would be ultimately fair and just and right. There would be no one who could cry foul. They were judged out of their own mouth.

11. “to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11, For there is no respect of persons with God.“

a. Not that God prefers the Jew, but that the Jew having receiving the oracles first in order.

12. “12, For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; “ Note: answers verse 6-10.

a. The American Indian. He had no law and will perish without the law. In other words, there will be no law condemning that American Indian before God. He will not be held accountable to the standard of the law. He will perish by the law that he holds.

b. For those who are under the law, they will be judged by that truth they hold.

13. “13, (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

a. The brackets in scripture are a “personal note from the author”.

b. Here is the foundation of the just, that by obedience they are justified.

c. Mat 7:21-27 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, …Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them…”

d. Jn 14:21,23,24 “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them…”

e. I don’t follow the OT “Law” but I follow the NT law of Christ based upon a superior covenant, and better promises with a superior high priest. Analogy of the British vs American Law; spitting on the sidewalk.

14. “ 14, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15, Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”

a. So by nature. In other words, without the law but by the truth they hold. Evidence of divine truth they hold; truth written by the same author.

b. Hearts, conscience and thoughts. The heart or spirit and mind bearing witness to the truth.

15. “16, In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

a. This is finishing the thought from verse 12.

b. There is coming a day called “the Great White Throne” judgment in Rev 20:11 where all men will be placed before the throne, there will be books opened which are the handwriting of ordinances against the unjustified dead. Judged out of the things written in those books ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS (twice repeated). Then another book will be opened called “the book of life”. “Whosoever was not found written” in this book were cast into the “lake of fire”. This is called the “second death”.

16. 17, Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19, And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

a. Jewish national pride. Today the Jewish nation is godless. Ichabod is written over their door post “the glory of the Lord has departed”. They are faithless and ungodly and mostly secular.

b. Story of the Jewish rabbis and guys with the hats and curls.

c. They rest in their nationalism, boast of their superiority, claim knowledge and approval, instructors, confident guides, illuminated, instructors and teachers of truth. God is telling them unless their righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees (keepers of the law), they will perish. Talmut, Mishna rules and regulations added. Straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel Jesus says of them.

d. Many have an arrogance of their superiority because of their religion. They think themselves a little higher a little closer to God. They boast of their high moral standards. Seen among the homeschool community allot.

e. Isa 42:6,7. Israel was to be a light, but they put it under a bushel. Like the story of the “good Samaritan” then avoided the unclean, they interpreted not that they were to be a light but that they were the light as a nation. That the Messiah was the light, they commandeered that to be themselves. They reformed God’s message into a religious system of their own making. They avoided Samarians, Gentiles, a woman, etc to keep from being unclean in their own religious zeal. One of their own making. They stifled the word of God that was to “open the blind eyes”, “bring out the prisoners” and “them that sit in darkness”. And instead the free flowing grace of God congealed and coagulated into religious national pride.

17. 21, Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22, Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

a. In other words, when your teaching someone else don’t you reflect that upon yourself? When your teaching someone not to steal, do you cheat or steal? Or adultery, do you lust after women in your own heart? With idols, do you have one called T.V. or money or whatever?

18. 23, Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?24, For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

a. This is referencing David’s sin with Bathsheba. David’s sin gave much reason for the nations around them to blaspheme God, ridicule, belittle and condemn because the Jews were no different than they were. Therefore their Jehovah God had no power different than theirs. The whole point of God giving the Jews the law was to reach the nations round about them. To make a difference where God had planted them. To place them at the crossroads of the ancient world to minister truth to the world. But instead, through national pride, thought themselves better than the heathen. Like the story of the good Samaritan. Where the Pharisees seeing the robbed, beaten man, crossed over to the other side to avoid him altogether. They thought themselves better, that when they committed sins that they were a little more righteous because they didn’t do it to the same degree or intensity. Being damnable resting in their nationality. Like those who think themselves Christians because they’re Americans.

19. 25, For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26, Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27, And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

a. Circumcision was a cutting away of the foreskin of the male member. It was a symbol for the cutting away of the sins of the flesh. It was focused on the heart not on the physical. Even Abraham’s righteousness was accounted to him BEFORE circumcision not after. Circumcision is of the heart not of the body.

b. Col 2:11 says that we were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands for the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

20. “28, For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29, But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

a. So God confirms it here again. Their pride and boast and requirement was that all must be like them, circumcised. This as you recall was the reason for the first Ecumenical Council at Jerusalem mentioned earlier. The Gentiles having heard the gospel from Paul or another were confused. The council findings remedied the question once and for all. Yet the contention continues even today, following the law, going back to the law’s requirements. Trying to keep Sabbaths, tithes and offering. When one keeps those things or does those things in their duty to appease God or please God, they have fallen from grace and the cross is no longer of any value for them. Circumcision is used to portray following the law.

b. Gal 5: 1, Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2, Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3, For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4, Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5, For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6, For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.