Southern
Christian University
James
A. Turner
A
Study of Romans #2
Please
read all of the references. They will help you to get a fuller understanding.
Chapter Three
"What advantage then hath the
Jew? Or what is the profit of
circumcision? Much every way (first of all) they
were entrusted with the oracles of God”.
They were entrusted with the Old Testament scriptures and then later
with the New Testament scriptures. "What if some were without faith? Shall their want of faith make them none
effect the faithfulness of God? God forbid. (no sir) Yeah
let God be found true but every man a liar.
As it is written:
That thou might be justified in thy words, and may prevail when thou
comest into judgment." Many
of the Jews turned away from the way of faith unto unbelief, but that did not
do away with the faithfulness of God. I think we need to try to remember verse
four in respect to, that any time a man teaches contrary to what God said, this
passage says, “let God be found
true, but every man a liar”. And
sometimes there is a place for reminding that God says this, and what you are
saying is contrary to what the Bible teaches on this subject, and Paul said, “Let God be found true.” "But
if our unrighteousness (Jewish
people) commendeth
the righteousness of God, what shall we say?
Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? I speak after the manner of men. God forbid! For then how shall God judge the
world?” The unrighteousness of
the Jews commended the righteousness of God in that because of their unbelief,
the gospel was then given to the Gentiles (Acts 13:44-49;
Romans 11:11-22). Paul declares very plainly
that God is not unrighteous when he visiteth wrath on the disobedient. "God forbid! For then how shall God
judge the world." "But if the
truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why I am also still judged
as a sinner? And why not, as we are
slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say, let us do evil that good
may come whose condemnation is just."
I think when we put that statement with what is recorded in
chapter five, “but where sin abounded, grace abounded more
exceedingly (5:20)”.
And on the basis of that, some came with the slander that he was
teaching, let us sin more and more that God's grace will abound more and more. Well, slander is not truth, but is always
contrary to truth. "As some affirm that we say; let us
do evil that good may come whose condemnation is just." In other words those who were falsely accusing
Paul as teaching that, “let us do
evil that good may come?” that they were unfaithful, and they were
slanderers, and their condemnation was just.
Verse nine, "What then? Are we better than they? (are Jews better than Gentiles) No,
in no wise, for we are before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks that
they are all under sin. For it is
written," and here he begins putting together several short
references from the Psalms to prove that those under the law were sinners
before God. "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none
that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God. They have all turned aside. (not born
aside, but turned aside) They are together become unprofitable; there
is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one”. Ps. 14:1ff.
He is just putting together several passages primarily from the Psalms. “Their throat is an open sepulcher; with
their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips;
whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood.
Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have
not known. There is no fear of God
before their eyes. For we know that
whatsoever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law." And the Jews were the ones that were under
the law. "That every mouth may be stopped, and
all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. Because by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified in his sight, for through the law cometh the knowledge of
sin." Well, he taught that
plainly in the Galatian letter, and he is teaching it plainly here, that no man
is going to be saved by the works of the Old Testament law. "Because
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for through
the law cometh the knowledge of sin." And remember that the law gave promise of
life on the basis of perfection in keeping the law, Leviticus 18:5. We will get to that later as we study this
book.
Romans
3:21, "For
now apart from the law. (Old
Testament law) A righteousness of God has been manifest being witnessed by
the law in the prophets."
The Old Testament prophets continued to speak of the day when the
Gentiles would have salvation and when the kingdom
of God would be established. Joel had prophesied (Joel 2:28-32) that
in the last days that God's spirit would be poured out upon all flesh, and this
passage was quoted in that first gospel sermon (Acts 2: 16-21), and that
Pentecost Day was the beginning of the fulfillment of (Joel 2:28-32). “In
the last days”, The Christian age constitutes the last days (Isaiah 2:1-4
and Micah 4:1-3). Isaiah and Micah said that the church, the
house of God, would be established in the last days (I Tim. 3:14-15). "Even
as the righteousness of God, through faith in Christ, to all them that believe.
For there is no distinction between Jew and
Gentile, for all have sinned." (Jews
and Gentiles alike) And fall short of the glory of
God." Verse twenty-three is
still saying that there is not an accountable person on the face of the earth
that has not sinned. All have sinned and
come short of the glory of God, but God has provided a way of
justification. "Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom
God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to show his
righteousness, because of the passing over of sins done aforetime in the
forbearance of God." So
there is a way of redemption that God has given apart from the law, and that
way is through Jesus Christ. Christ's blood was shed in his death, and a sinner
shows faith in the power of his blood when he believes, repents, and confesses
the name of Christ and then is baptized into Christ in the likeness of his
death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-7,
6:17-18).
Verse
twenty six, "For the showing I
say of his present righteousness at this present season, that he might himself
be just and the justifier of him that has faith in Jesus." By sending Christ as a sin offering, as a
propitiation or as a sin offering for us, this is a way that God could be “just and the justifier of him that has faith in Jesus”. Man deserved to die, but God could be just by
giving this way of redemption. He can
grant mercy and still uphold the justice of the law and still justify those who
have faith in Jesus. "Where then is the glory? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? (Old Testament law) Nay,
but by the law of faith. (the New Testament law), we reckon therefore
that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." It is talking about the Old Testament
law. Now, it does not mean that men are
justified by faith apart from law, but he is justified by faith apart from the
works of the Old Testament law, or that a man does not merit salvation by his
works.
Verse
twenty-nine, "Or is God the God
of Jews only? Is he not the God of the
Gentiles? Yea, of the Gentiles
also. If so be that God is one he shall
justify the circumcision by faith
(the Jewish people) and the
uncircumcision (the Gentile people) through
faith." By faith and through
faith, would amount to the same thing.
So God justifies all people alike through faith in Christ, those who
have faith in power of his blood to cleanse them from sin by being obedient to
Christ. "Do
we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid! Nay we establish the law.
Chapter
Four
What then shall we say that Abraham our
forefather has found according to the flesh?
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about,
but not before God. For what then saith
the scripture? And Abraham believed God,
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." (Again, that is a quotation of Genesis 15:6)
When Abraham didn't have a single son, and God said if you can count the stars
so shall thy seed be. They will be
innumerable! Abraham believed God, and
it was reckoned to him for righteousness.
Remember
he quoted that in Galatians 3: 6, and that is
quoted by James where James joins Abraham's faith and works together. Maybe we need to turn and look at the passage
from James. James chapter two, verse
twenty, beginning, "But will
thou know, vain man, that faith apart from works is barren. (vain, it's worthless)
Was not Abraham our father justified by works in that he offered up
Isaac his son upon the altar?" Some may reason that there is conflict
between Paul and James, but not so.
James
2:22, "Thou
seest that faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made
perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled
which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for
righteousness. And he was called a
friend of God. You see that by works a
man is justified, and not only by faith." Well, James is not saying that faith is not
necessary, but he says that they go together, that faith and works go
together. You see that by works a man is
justified and not only by faith. So faith and works have a part in our
justification.
Now
back to Romans 4:4, "Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as
of grace but as of debt." A
man who works hard for his employer all the week, does not have to turn his
back to receive his paycheck, does he?
He feels like he has earned it!
And if there were such a thing as a man doing works of merit to earn his
salvation, then salvation would be paid him on the basis of debt. "But
to him that worketh not, but believest on him that justifies the ungodly, his
faith is reckoned for righteousness.
Even as David pronounces the blessing upon the man unto whom God
reckoneth righteousness apart from works.
Saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are
covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin."
Primitive
Baptists and others may use this passage to say that God will not count sin
against a child of God, “once in grace always in grace” and then quote this passage,
“Blessed are they whose iniquities
are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whom the Lord will not reckon sin”. I heard a Primitive Baptists in debate with
Brother Gus Nichols many years ago at Tallassee,
Alabama.
He reasoned, if I were to commit murder, why, God would not reckon it
against me? It would just be because of
the weakness of the flesh. Under each
man's shirt, there are two men, the inward man and the outward man. And no man can control the outward man. And so you know the thing that makes the
difference is whether that inward man's heart wants to do what is right. So you see how they use this passage. Well, turn back to where the passage is
quoted from Psalms thirty-two, and David tells us the Lord's hand was heavy
upon him until he repented and confessed his sins. Notice the reading in Psalm 32:1-5,
David says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is
forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed
is the man whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no
guile." Now, what kind of
man is it that the Lord forgives his transgression and “whose sin is covered”.
"When I kept silence, my
bones wasted away. Through my groaning
and all the day. For day and night thy
hand was heavy upon me: My
moisture was changed as with the drought of summer." So as long as David did not repent, the
Lord's hand was heavy upon him. "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and
mine iniquity did I not hide. I said, I
will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; and thou forgavest the iniquity of
my sin." So what man is
blessed? The man who repents and turns
from his sins. And so the child of God
who repents and turns from his sin, the Lord forgives his iniquity. His sins are covered, his sins are no longer
reckoned against him anymore (John 1:7-9).
Verse
eight, "Blessed is the man to
whom the Lord will not reckon sin. Is
this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision
also, for we say, to Abraham his faith
was reckoned for righteousness. How then
it was reckoned? When he was in
circumcision, or uncircumcision?"
The facts show that it was in uncircumcision. As recorded in Genesis 15:6,
"His faith was reckoned for
righteousness." In Genesis
seventeen, and Genesis is in chronological order, is where God gave Abraham the
law of circumcision, and he was ninety- nine years old and Ishmael was
thirteen. And they were circumcised, and
all the men of his house that same day.
And so Abraham was in uncircumcision when God gave him the law of circumcision.
"How then was it reckoned?
When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision. Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a
seal of the righteousness of faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision." So the writer is saying that
circumcision was a sign of the righteousness of faith that he had back there
before God gave the law of circumcision.
"That he might be the
father of all them that believe, though they would be in uncircumcision, that
righteousness might be reckoned unto them, and the father of circumcision to
them who are not only of circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that
faith that our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision." So all of those who have faith like Abraham,
Jews and Gentiles, are justified by their great faith, but it is not just an
intellectual faith, it is an obedient faith!
And think of Abraham, how he was ready to offer up his son, he was ready
to take the life of that son that God had said, “Through
thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed.” But Abraham was ready to take the life of
even that son (Genesis 22:1-19).
"For not through the law was the promise made to Abraham or to his
seed that he should be the heir of the world, (Genesis 12:3)
but through the righteousness of
faith. For if they that are of the law
are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is made of no effect"
(4:12-14) Do you remember how he reasoned the
same way in the third chapter of Galatians that the law that came four hundred
thirty years after God gave the promise to Abraham, that it did not disannul
the promise that God had made to Abraham, that through his seed all nations of
the earth would be blessed?
Verse
fifteen, "For the law worketh
wrath." In other words all
the people under the law violated the law, and so the wrath of God because of
Lev. 18:5 and Deuteronomy 26:
27. "But
where there is no law neither is there transgression. For
this cause it is of faith, that it maybe according to grace; to the end that
the promise maybe sure to all 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. As it is written, a
father of many nations have I made thee before him whom he believed, even God,
who giveth life to the dead and calleth things that are not as though they
were. The father of many nations have I made thee." (4:15-17)
Notice that is a quotation from Genesis chapter seventeen. At that time Abraham had only one son by
Hagar the handmaiden, and this is in Genesis chapter seventeen, and as given in
this chapter God gave the law of circumcision and changed his name from Abram
to Abraham because “the father of
many nations have I made thee.”
Please note that God spoke in past tense! Well, God has the ability to
bring it about and the Bible speaks a lot of times as though it has already
happened, and sometimes it would be hundreds of years before it actually
happened. But God had decided, and he would bring it about. If we started talking like that, we would be
found liars in a hurry, wouldn't we? But
God is not restricted by time, and is not restricted by all of those
inabilities to do like we are. And so he
changed Abraham's name from Abram to Abraham, “the
father of many nations have I made thee, before him whom he believed, even God,
who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not as though they
were (4:17) --" “God giveth life to the dead.” Abraham, was ninety-nine years old when the
promise was given to him that his wife Sarah was going to have a son, and it
was also past time for her to be able to bear children (Genesis 18:11). And he is describing God here as one who “calleth
the things that are not as though they were.
Verse
eighteen, "Who in hope,
believed against hope. (Abraham)
to the end that he might become the father of many nations, according to
that which hath been spoken, so shall thy seed be." What does he mean by saying that
Abraham “in hope believed against
hope?” He hoped because God had
said it would be. From a human
standpoint, there was no room for hope.
Genesis 18:11says, “it had ceased to be with Sarah according
to the manner of women”, meaning that she had gone through menopause or
the change of life and from a biological standpoint, it was impossible for her
to have a son. But because God said it,
Abraham believed it. "Who in hope believed against hope.” There was no room for hope just on the basis
of natural law. "To the end that he might become the father of many nations,
according to that which has been spoken, so shall thy seed be." And again that is part of Genesis 15:5-6
"And without being weakened in
faith, he considered his body, already dead, he being about a hundred years
old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb." See, that is emphasizing again why in “hope he believed against hope”. “Yet
Looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed
strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he
had promised he was able also to perform.” (4:18-21) O, if we could just all believe
the promises of God, and thereby lay claim for ourselves the blessing of those
wonderful promises. He has given us many
wonderful, exceeding great, and precious promises as the apostle Peter said (II
Peter 1:3-4).
Abraham believed in the promises of God, being fully assured that what
he had promised he was able also to perform.
Verse
twenty-two, "Wherefore also it
was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
(Genesis 15:6) Now it was not written for his sake alone that was it
reckoned unto him, but for our sake also.
Unto whom it shall be reckoned.
Who believe on him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was
delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification."
(4:22-25)
So Christ was delivered up because of our sins.
II Corinthians 5:21
reads, "Him who knew no
sin. Him he made to be sin in our behalf
that we might become the righteousness of God through him." So He was delivered up “for our trespasses and he
was raised for our justification”, just like God through the prophet Isaiah said
that he would do more than seven hundred years before Jesus was born of the
Virgin Mary! “ But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray. (not born astray) we have turned everyone to his own way: and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity
of us all”. (Isaiah 53:5-6) Please note
that Isaiah 53:5-6 reads in past tense, and
yet it was more than seven hundred years before Christ was born of Mary (Luke 1:26-35).
We are saved by the resurrection of Christ; he was raised for our
justification.
Chapter
Five
"Being therefore justified by faith." I believe I have read that Martin Luther
wrote in the margin of his Bible, faith only. And this was probably the beginning of that
false doctrine of salvation by faith only.
Well, we have already read in verse twenty-five, that we are saved by
the resurrection of Christ, right? And
Paul mentions some more things here in chapter five that we are saved by. I included in the handout an outline entitled
THINGS BY WHICH WE ARE SAVED, which lists, as I remember, eighteen or twenty
things, and I am not sure that I got all of them then, that the Bible says that
we are saved by. "Being therefore justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Surely no man can be justified who does not
have that real faith. Hebrews 11:6
reads, "Without faith it is
impossible to please God. For he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him." That
is surely more than just an intellectual faith.
It is the faith that believes that God is and that he will reward the
man who does his will. “He is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him”, that God is a kind, loving and benevolent God. He will reward those who obey him. “Through
whom also we have access by faith into this grace. (unmerited favor) Wherein we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of
God. And not only so, but we rejoice in
our tribulations." Sometimes
we have trouble with that, rejoicing in our troubles, don't we? But Paul said, “we rejoice in our tribulations; knowing that tribulations
worketh steadfastness, and
steadfastness, approvedness, and approvedness, hope, and hope putteth
not to shame, because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which
was given to us. For while we were yet
weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly (5:3-6).” Tribulations
will either make a person stronger or weaker, he or she will never be the same!
He or she who endures the trouble with real faith and a good attitude will be
stronger, and all to the contrary will be weaker.
Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance. He did not die for the
righteous, because there were none, he died for the ungodly.
Verse
seven, "For scarcely for a
righteous man will one die; for peradventure the good man some would even dare
to die." The difference
between the righteous man and the good man would probably be, the
righteous man would treat everybody fairly, he would be just and honest in
every way, but not necessarily a very compassionate man, described as a good
man, in this passage. When he says for
the good man, that very compassionate man, “some
might even dare to die. But man
did not meet either one of those conditions when Christ died for us. "But
God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. Much more, being now
justified by his blood." Again
justified, saved by his blood! So how
can anyone get a faith only doctrine from the fifth chapter of Romans?
It is not to be found in this chapter or any other chapter of the whole
Bible! "Shall
we be saved from the wrath of God through him.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death
of his son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." How are we saved by the life of Christ? First
it took a perfect person, who kept all of the requirements of the Old Testament
to make atonement for sin (Hebrews 1:3-4, 1:9,
4:14-16, 5:8-9,
10:4-10,; I Peter 2:21-25).
Secondly, we are saved by the example on His life. And Peter says that
Christ has given us an example that we should follow in his steps. Thirdly, we are saved by his life in that he
is our high priest. Hebrews 7:25
reads, “He is able to save to the
uttermost them that draw nearer to God through him seeing that he ever liveth
to make intercession for saints.
So we are saved by the life of Christ in that respect.
"And not only so but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation,” Through
Christ all believers are reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:17-21).
"Therefore as through one man sin
entered the world, and death through sin, so death passed to all men, for all
men have sinned." When Adam
sinned, he brought as a penalty for sin – spiritual death and physical. God said to Adam by the sweat of your brow,
you are to earn your living until you return to the dust of the earth, “for dust thou art and to dust shall thou
return (Gen. 3:21)”. And, of course, sin separated man from
God. So Adam brought spiritual death and
physical death as a result of his sin.
Adam was separated from God by his sin. Genesis 3:24
reads, “So he drove out the man; and
he placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim and the flame of a
sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” See
also Isaiah 59:1-2. "For until the law." Remember that it was a long time before the
Old Testament law was given. "For until the law sin was in the world,
but sin is not imputed when there is no law." We understand that in regard to civil laws,
don't we? You do not charge a man for
violating a traffic law when there is no traffic law. If there is not a traffic light, you cannot
arrest a man or charge him for running a traffic light. "Nevertheless
death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to
come." Adam was a type of
Christ, not in likeness, but in the main his example is opposite that of
Christ. Adam sinned and brought spiritual death, a separation from God, Isaiah
59: 1-2, and Christ did no sin and He gave
spiritual life to all who receive Him (John 5:24-25;
Romans 6:3-7; II Corinthians 5:17).
One man sinned and brought death and the other man “did no sin” and brought life in righteousness. Well, I guess we better just count verse 15
start next lesson.