Romans Chapter Two - Study Notes

1. Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

“Therefore” - relates to the wrath of God revealed and the knowledge of God (1:18-19)

“you have no excuse” - who? “everyone of you who judges” - why? “For in passing judgment

on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.”

What same things? (1:29-31)

2. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.

Who is guilty of these things? Both Jews and Gentiles.

“rightly” - Paul is stating something that no Jew could deny: God's judgment against sin is

both true and just.

3. Do you suppose, O man – you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself – that you will escape the judgment of God?

“Do you suppose” - Have you thought this through logically?

“and yet do them yourself” - He is keeping them pinned down!

“that you will escape the judgment of God?” - He is appealing to their consciences. They know that they are guilty as well, and he is also appealing to their intellect:

1. God's judgment falls on those who do “these things”.
2. We, who are standing in judgment over the Gentiles, do “these things”.
3. Therefore, even we, the self-righteous judges, stand under God's judgment.

4. Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

“presume on” - show contempt for, Paul is showing that if you think that you can sin and yet avoid judgment that you are, in fact, showing contempt for God's mercy.

“goodness” - as opposed to His severity

“forbearance and patience” - God's goodness in withholding judgment

“being ignorant … lead you to repentance” - This patient goodness of God was not meant to

make them feel secure in their sin but stimulate repentance.

5. But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

“But” - Since you refuse to recognize God's goodness in delaying your destruction and repent

“because of your hard and impenitent heart” - They know they have sinned against God, but

they have not repented but rather have presumed upon God's grace based upon their “favored”

position as God's people.

“you are storing up...” - For every time they presume on God's kindness and continue in their

rebellion to Him, they are storing up for themselves wrath and judgment. There is a coming

day of final judgment and a pouring out of the wrath of God from which there will be no

escape.

6. He will render to each one according to his works:

“Although justification is indeed by faith, judgment will be according to works.” -Stott-

(Matthew 16:27; 2 Corinthians 11:15)

7. to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

“well-doing” - what we do; our works

“glory and honor and immortality” - what we seek; our goal

“eternal life” - where we are going; our end

Persistence in good works (Mark 13:13; 2 Timothy 2:12) is made possible by God's

preservation. (Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 13:20-21; Jude 24)

8. but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will wrath and fury.

What they do: disobey truth; obey unrighteousness

What they seek: their own glory, honor, and immortality

What is their end: wrath and fury

9. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
10. but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

There are only two destinies: 1. tribulation and distress 2. glory, honor, and peace (restored

relationship with God)

“the Jew first...” - The Jew has priority both in salvation (1:16) and in judgment.

11. For God shows no partiality.

Note the chiastic structure of verses 6-11:

A – Vs. 6) The impartial judgment of God

  B – Vs. 7) Those who do good will receive good

    C – Vs. 8) Those who do evil will receive evil

    C – Vs. 9) Those who do evil will receive evil

  B – Vs. 10) Those who do good will receive good

A – Vs. 11) God is impartial in His judgment

A chiastic structure (or a chiasm (kee-az-um)) is a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse

sequence. It is a literary device used commonly by ancient authors to emphasize the point

that is being made. Similar to bold print or underlining or italics, the chiastic structure

highlights the main truth of the structure. There are many of examples of this device both in

the Old and New Testament scriptures. (Two specific examples are: Joshua 1:5-9 and Matthew

6:24)

The truth that is being emphasized (highlighted) in verses 6-11 is that God is an impartial judge. This is the main point of this whole section. Not justification by works, but that God does not show favoritism in salvation or judgment. The Jew and Greek both stand equally before God.

This, among many reasons, is why we must be careful not to rip a text in Scripture from it's

context and use it to say something that the author (the Holy Spirit) never intended, even if what you are trying to say is true. It would be easy to take a verse from this structure and use it to demonstrate that Paul is teaching that justification is based upon our works, even though, he clearly says otherwise on either side of this section.

It is so very important that (as much as we are able) we come to the Scripture with pure hearts, not with our own ideas and traditions, and let the author (inspired by the Holy Spirit) say what he is trying to say. We should not merely search for verses that say what we want them to without reading the surrounding texts and interpreting that specific verse in light of the context.

12. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
    “For” - since God is an impartial judge
    “law” - law of Moses

“all who have sinned without the law” - Gentiles

To this the Jewish audience would say, “Amen!”. In their thought there was no salvation
outside the law. But...

“all who have sinned under the law...” - The Jews too will be judged according to their know-

ledge. The Gentiles will not be judged by a standard they have not known. They will perish

because of their sin, not because of their ignorance of the law. Likewise, the Jew will be

judged by the standard they have known. God will be absolutely even-handed in judgment.

13. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Paul is writing here about judgment not salvation. No human being, except Christ, has ever

fully obeyed the law. His point is that merely possessing the law did not give the Jew

immunity to judgment. What was needed was obedience and that they didn't possess.

14. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

“who do not have the law” - In verse 12 Paul refers to the Gentiles as those who lived without

the law. Here he explains what he means by that phrase. They are not “without law” or “lawless”.

“By nature do what the law requires” - Gentiles have some knowledge of God's moral demands

upon them. Not all Gentiles are crooks, murderers, and adulterers and thieves. Some do obey

the authorities and practice honesty and love their families.

“they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law” - They show, by this,

knowledge of divine moral standards. This also shows that, contrary to what the Jews think,

they don't have a decisive advantage when it comes to knowing and doing the will of God.

15. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

Gentiles, apart from the law, have some knowledge of what God requires. Namely, they should

love God and love their neighbor as themselves, but they have already proven themselves

unable of keeping those “by their ungodliness and unrighteousness” (1:18)

“while their conscience also bears witness” - bearing witness both to themselves and will also

be a witness (mainly against them) in the final judgment

“conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” - Their conscience is there constantly

accusing them when they do wrong, but sometimes (even), it excuses them.

16. on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus

To review Chapter Two so far:

(1-4) – We cannot escape God's judgment.

(5-11) – It will be a righteous judgment, according to our works and ambitions.

(12-15) – It will be an impartial judgment as between Jews and Gentiles.

“There are three facts concerning this judgment that we can obtain from verse 16:

1. God will judge men's secrets. God knows our hearts. There will be no miscarriage of justice because all of the facts will be known.
2. It will take place “by Jesus Christ”. John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42; 17:31
3. It is part of the Gospel. We cheapen the gospel if we represent it as a deliverance only from unhappiness, fear, guilt, etc., instead of as a rescue from the coming wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:9)” -Stott

2:17-24

The Law

“Paul's main point in 2:1-16 is that because Jews will be assessed by God in the judgment on

the same basis as Gentiles (works), they cannot assume, any more than Gentiles, that they

will escape God's wrath.” -Moo-

Paul is, however, well aware that his argument ignores a crucial matter: the Jew's claim to

possess a status, by virtue of the covenant, that puts them in a position entirely different from

the Gentiles. In verses 17-29 Paul takes up this matter.

Without dismissing the Jew's claim entirely (3:1-2), Paul insists that their privileges do not

exempt them from God's judgment. Paul takes up those two things that, more than any others,

pointed to the Jews' special status: the Law (17-24) and circumcision (25-29).

His point in this section is not to demonstrate that Jews commit sins (no Jew could deny that)

but that these sins, despite possession of the Law and circumcision, make Jews just as liable

to God's judgment as Gentiles.

“Whereas Jews tended to rely on their election and works of the Law, Paul insists that it is

faith -only and always- that is the basis for a righteous standing with God. Therefore, the

“signs” of election – Law and circumcision – are of no value without this faith” -Moo-

17. But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God

“Now if you call yourself a Jew” - “To be a Jew suggests the special status enjoyed by the

people of Israel in distinction to all other peoples. It refers to the religious status shared by

anyone who belonged to the covenant people.” -Moo-

“and take pride in the law” - “Possession of the law was certainly a genuine blessing. But

the problem came because the Jews 'rely on the law'.” -Moo- Jews thought that their reliance

on the Law would exempt them from judgment.

“and boast in God” - The Jews' “boasting in God” is not wrong in itself (Jeremiah 9:23-24;

2 Corinthians10:17) unless it is a sense of human pride and arrogance. Again, presuming on

God's goodness. (2:4) (Micah 3:9-11)

18. and know His will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;

Compare this with the Gentiles in Chapter 1. Through the revelation of God, given in creation,

the Gentiles, Paul says, could know God's eternal power and His divine nature, but the Jews can

know God's will and have greater knowledge concerning right and wrong. Why? They have

the Law.

19. and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
20. an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth -

Paul is repeating the Jews' own boasts of their importance in the world. This sense of mission

was rooted in the Old Testament, but they had fallen far short of this responsibility. (Isaiah

42:6-7; 49:6) Again Paul mentions the Jews supreme advantage over the Gentiles when it

comes to revelation, possession of the Law!

“Love uses truth to teach others; but sin uses truth to exalt self.” -Piper-

21. you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?

In verses 17-18 Paul declares that the Jews possess the light (Law) and in 19-20 he reminds

them of their duty to shine that light. Now Paul is exposing their hypocrisy and how they have

used their advantage of possessing the law, not as a means of repentance but instead as a cover

for their sinfulness.

22. You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

The charges of theft and adultery are pretty straightforward, but what is this about robbing

temples? Some Jews were guilty of robbing pagan temples, that were unattended, of their

wealth, because they knew that the idols had no use for the goods that were being sacrificed

to them. But certainly the majority of the Jewish listeners could object, “We have never stolen

or committed adultery or robbed temples!”. It is possible that Paul is viewing each of these

sins in light of the deepening of the Law taught by Jesus. (Matthew 5:21-48)

Or “it may be that it is Paul's intention here to cite those breaches of the Law as examples of the contrast between word and works, possession of the Law and obedience to it.” -Moo-

“These are illustrations of all that the Law demands, 'Do you keep the whole Law? Are you without sin? Does your sin, even if different from these, put you in need of a Savior? Are you not under the power of sin, even though you have the Law and teach others?'” -Piper-

But consider this last interpretation of the verses from John Piper:

“I think Paul could say, 'Yes, you really do steal and commit adultery and rob temples. 'How

so?', you ask. Because you do not what the Law most essentially demands, namely, faith. Faith

in God for His gracious gift of forgiveness and a right standing with Him, and the enablement

to obey His commandments. But instead, you use the Law to establish your own righteousness

and thus rob God of the most basic thing He demands from you, humble trust in Him for His

mercy. And what is this but adultery as you give your heart and trust – that belong only to

God – to another? And what is this spiritual adultery except the taking of the very idols of the

world and making them your own – as if to rob their temples because God Himself is not good

enough for you. And do not the nations then blaspheme God, if you take their values, but call

yourselves the people of God?'” -Piper- (James 4:1-4) robbing temples – Deuteronomy 7:25-

26; Acts 19:35-37

23. You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.

“It is not boasting in the Law that brings honor to God but obedience to it.” -Moo-

24. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Paul uses an Old Testament quote (Isaiah 52:5) to confirm the conclusion he has drawn in verse

23.

Israel was created (and so were we all) to glorify God! (Isaiah 43:1-7) Instead, they were

bringing shame to His name. We Gentiles also have failed to live up to the revelation that

we have been given. (1:21) Altogether, (and this is where Paul is heading) we have become

unprofitable to God (3:12) worthless, broken, falling short of His glory. (3:23)

2:25-29

Circumcision

25. For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

Having taken away their hope of merely possessing the Law as a basis of right standing

before God, Paul now comes after the other thing that separates them from the Gentiles,

circumcision.

To become uncircumcised means to become like a Gentile and give up any defense that

one's membership in the people of God might provide on the day of judgment.

Paul, like the Old Testament prophets before him, is warning the Jews that their disobedience

to the Covenant obligations, namely obedience, voided any security they hoped to find from

divine judgment. (Jeremiah 7:3-11; 21-24)

26. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

“Paul is again here citing God's standard of judgment apart from the Gospel as a means of

erasing the distinction at this point between Jews and Gentiles. Paul is not pointing the way

to salvation but is showing Jews that their position, despite their covenant privileges, is

essentially no different from that of the Gentiles: disobedience brings condemnation; obedience

brings salvation.” -Moo-

27. Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.

Their obedience to the Law itself will stand as accusatory evidence against the disobedient

Jews. (Matthew 12:41-42)

28. For no one is Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.
29. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

“Circumcision minus obedience equals uncircumcision, while uncircumcision plus obedience

equals circumcision.” -Stott-

“The ultimate sign of membership of the Covenant of God is neither circumcision nor

possession of the Law but the obedience which both circumcision and the Law demand.

Their circumcision did not succeed in making them what their disobedience proved they

were not. This is not salvation by obedience, but obedience as the evidence of salvation.

In the end, the Jews are just as much exposed to the judgment of God as Gentiles.” -Stott-

Circumcise your heart! (Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 9:25-26)

Introduction to Romans

The Letter of Paul to the Romans

or

The Gospel According to Paul

Who: Paul or Tertius (Tertius was Paul's amanuensis (Romans 16:22))

What: A letter, a treatise of Paul's gospel to the Church at Rome.

When: Approximately A.D. 57, toward the end of Paul's 3^rd missionary journey.

Where: Cenchrea, a town near the city of Corinth in Greece.

Why: There are various reasons, that can be gathered from the text, for why Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome:

1. To obtain help for his plans to go to Spain. (Romans 15:24)
2. To collect funds for the Christians in Jerusalem. (Romans 15:30-33)
3. To address the situation in the church at Rome:
   Claudius had “expelled the Jews from Rome because they were constantly rioting at the instigation of Chrestus” -Suetonius

This occurred in approximately A.D. 49 and is mentioned in Acts 18:1-2. After Claudius' death they were able to return about A.D. 54 (Romans 16:3). This expulsion of the Jews (ie. Jewish Christians) left the church in Rome largely in the hands of the Gentile Christians in Rome. The God fearers and proselytes now, no doubt, out numbered the Jewish Christians upon their return. They were not keeping the Sabbath nor enforcing circumcision upon new converts. This, of course, led to problems among the Jewish believers who held dearly to these customs. In writing this letter he hopes to lay a foundation for unity in the body of Christ at Rome between the Jews and Gentiles through the Gospel.

4. The Gospel: The continuity of God's plan of salvation, the sin and need of human beings, God's provision for our sin problem in Christ, the means to a life of holiness, and security in the face of suffering and death.

Romans is God's Word to us and in reading it we seek to discover the message that God

has for us in it.

“Every Christian should know it by word and heart and read it often. The more it is read and studied the better it becomes.” Martin Luther

The Letter to the Romans is traditionally broken down into three distinct sections:

Chapters 1 – 8 – Justification by faith and its consequences

Chapters 9 – 11 – Rejection of the Jews and the inclusion of the Gentiles

Chapters 12 – 16 – Practical applications of the Gospel

Romans Chapter One - Study Notes

1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
   Paul introduces himself with three designations that respectively identify: His Master- slave of Jesus, his office- Apostle (11:13; Gal. 1:1), and his purpose- set apart for the Gospel (Aphorizo - literally Pharisee for the Gospel) “Gospel”- God's intervention in Christ
   “Paul is claiming that his life is totally dedicated to God's act of salvation in Christ.” -Moo-
   

2. which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

Paul is showing the connection between what God has promised in the past and declared

through the prophets to what He is now doing through Christ.

3. concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

“concerning his Son” - What or Who is the Gospel about? God's Son, Jesus!

“descended from David” - Here we see the humanity of Christ displayed and His qualifications for messiah-ship, His relation to David.

“God's Son” - messianic title Psalm 2:7

4. and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

“Declared” - Appointed (by virtue of His resurrection)

The pre-existent Son, who entered into human experience as the promised Messiah, was appointed on the basis of the resurrection to a new (and more powerful) position in relation to the world. (Philippians 2:6-11)

Before He was the Son of God in weakness and lowliness; (2 Corinthians 13:4) through the

resurrection He becomes the Son of God in power!

“The transition from v. 3-4 then, is not a transition from a human messiah to a divine Son of

God but from the Son as messiah to the Son as both Messiah and powerful, reigning Lord.”

-Moo-

“according to the flesh” / “according to the Spirit of Holiness”- It is possible that this is

referring to Christ's humanity and divinity or to the two eras or realities that he (Paul) will be

exploring in this letter.

“Spirit of holiness” - Romans 8:11; Acts 2:32-33

5. through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

Paul has received the special gift (grace) of apostleship from Jesus Christ for the purpose of

bringing men and women to the obedience of faith (submission to the Gospel). Faith in Jesus

must include submission to His lordship. (John 3:36)

“among all the nations” - Paul was set aside by God especially as an apostle to the Gentiles

(Acts 9:15)

“for the sake of his name” - The supreme goal of the Gospel is to bring God the glory that is due to Him. This leaves no room for distinction between races or classes (castes). (Gal. 3:28)

“For the sake of His name.”

“The highest of all missionary motives is neither obedience to the Great Commission

(important as that is), nor love for sinners who are alienated and perishing (strong as that

incentive is, especially when we contemplate the wrath of God), but rather zeal – burning

and passionate zeal – for the glory of Jesus Christ.” -Stott-

6. including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

The Romans are included among these “all nations”. Paul is their Apostle. Paul was called to

be an Apostle and the Roman church has been called to faith in Christ. Not an invitational

call but a powerful and irresistible reaching out of God in grace to bring people into His

kingdom. (John 6:44)

7. To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Grace and peace” - (Numbers 6:25) This is an Old Testament blessing to the Jewish people

being given to a church composed primarily of Gentiles.

They are loved of God and called to be saints (an Old Testament term for God's people). Who

they are depends on God's love and call.

They are “saints”. Christians are those who have been sanctified. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Summary of the importance of who Jesus is in relation to the Gospel:

• He is the promised messiah of Israel (2)
• He is the Son of God, the Lord (3-4)
• He came to the earth as messiah (3)
• He was exalted through resurrection (4)
• Through His exaltation He has shared all of these things with us pertaining to salvation(5-6)

8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.

This is not a statement on the degree of their faith, but just an acknowledgment of the fact that

their faith had gone out to the Christian world. Just as we could say that believers back home in

the US have heard of the faith of the believers in Nepal and give thanks to God for a witness in

this country.

9. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you
10. always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

Paul did not personally know most of the Roman Christians. He had not had a part in their

founding and had never been to Rome, but that did not keep him from consistently praying for them. He even calls on God as witness, showing that this was not just kind speech. He also lets them know of his desire to come to visit them.

“with my spirit” - his deepest being

“in the gospel of His Son” - Paul's main purpose: The Gospel

11. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you -

Paul gives three reasons for his wishing to visit Rome: to share some spiritual gift (11), to have

a harvest among them (13), and to preach the Gospel (15)

We don't know what exactly Paul is hoping to share with them or what kind of gift, but we do

know that it is intended to strengthen them. This is the purpose of all gifts in the church: to

build up, to edify, to strengthen the church. (1 Corinthians 14:1-5;26)

12. that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each others faith, both yours and mine.

Paul sincerely expects that he also has much to gain from his fellowship with the believers in

Rome, but he is also being diplomatic with them; not wanting them to get the idea that this

Apostle, who they do not know, is going to come and bless them with his gifts and wisdom.

He is attempting to establish his credentials with them as the Apostle to the Gentiles (as we

will see all through this letter), but he does not want to come off too heavy handed at the

beginning.

13. I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.

Paul had been busy spreading the Gospel around the Greek world but had now run out of

areas to preach the Gospel without over stepping another person's work. (Romans 15:20-24)

This harvest that he intends to reap is most likely evangelistic. He hopes to win converts and

help further build the church in Rome, as well as strengthen the present church. (11)

“as among the rest of the Gentiles” - Paul, here again, identifies the church in Rome as

predominantly Gentile.

14. I am under obligation both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.

Here is the reason for Paul's desire to come to Rome and make converts: He feels compelled

that it is his duty! (1 Corinthians 9:16) It is his obligation to them (Gentiles) before God.

(Ephesians 3:8) He had been entrusted with “the gospel of God concerning His Son”, and he

was, therefore, obligated to bring that Gospel to the whole Gentile world. Not just the Greeks

and the Romans, but to the far reaches of the Empire (barbarians and foolish).

15. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

This “preaching of the gospel” is not just evangelism but refers to the ongoing work of

teaching and discipleship in the church which goes with evangelism. (Matthew 28:18-20)

The Theme of Romans

16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

In verse 14 Paul had said that he was “obligated” to preach the Gospel, in 15 he is “eager”, and

now in 16 he declares that he is “not ashamed”.

Even though to the world the cross may seem foolish, (1 Corinthians 1:18-25) Paul is not

ashamed! Why? Because it is the power of God for salvation! Without the cross, without

the Gospel we are lost. We are still under God's wrath and awaiting hell and punishment. But

because of the Gospel, because of what God has done through Christ we can be delivered!

How? By believing! Who is this for? To the Jew first and then us! (Acts 13:46) But, Jew or Gentile, we must come by faith in Christ.

17. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Here is the power of the Gospel: the righteousness of God! Paul will later explain that what

the Law couldn't do (because we were not capable of keeping it) God has done in Christ!

“the righteousness of God” - This speaks both to His personal character and to His actions in

our salvation and something that He bestows upon us through Christ.

“from faith for faith” - In other words, it is all by faith from beginning to end.

“The righteous shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4) Literally: “He who through faith is

righteous – he shall live.”

“He who through faith is righteous shall live.” RSV

“He shall gain life who is justified through faith.” NEB

“Every person is 'without excuse' because every person – whether a first-century pagan or

a twenty-first century materialist – has been given a knowledge of God and has spurned that

knowledge in favor of idolatry, in all its varied manifestations. All therefore stand under the

awful reality of the wrath of God, and all are in desperate need of the justifying power of the

Gospel of Christ.” -Moo-

18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Why is the righteousness of God being revealed in the Gospel? Why is it necessary? Why is

it so important? Because of the wrath of God! Who is this wrath against? Whoever or

whatever is under heaven and yet not under the Gospel is under His wrath! (John 3:36)

Paul sandwiches this indictment against all mankind between these two great declarations

of the gracious righteousness of God: Romans 1:17 and 3:21-22.

What then is God's wrath? It is His deeply personal abhorrence of evil; His holy hostility to

evil. “sustained anger against sin because of His holiness for the failure of man to honor Him

as God.” -Moo-

Against what is God's wrath revealed? Against all ungodliness and wickedness of men.

“The essence of sin is godlessness. It is the attempt to get rid of God and, since that is

impossible, the determination to live as though one had succeeded in doing so.” -Stott-

The greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:

36-40) It is by this very sin, the not doing of this commandment, this injustice, unrighteous-

ness that they “suppress the truth”. They have made up their minds to live for themselves and

ignore any evidence of God around them.

What truth are they suppressing?

19. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
20. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So that they are without excuse.

The invisible God has made Himself visible in His creation. He has made Himself known

through what He has made. (Psalm 19:1; Isaiah 6:3)

General Revelation - made to everybody, everywhere

It is:

Natural – because made through natural means

Continuous – since creation it has gone on day and night (Psalm 19:2)

Creational – revealing God's glory through creation

Special Revelation - made to particular people in particular places

It is:

Supernatural – ie. Incarnation, inspiration of Scriptures

Final – finished in Christ and in Scripture

Salvific – revealing God's grace in Christ

This is natural revelation not natural religion. Paul ends these verses with, “So they are

without excuse”. Through natural revelation you can know God's power, deity, and glory

but not His saving grace through Christ. This knowledge is only enough to condemn because

they could not live up to even that . Instead, they suppress the truth about God by their

unrighteousness. (18)  They are guilty!  They have seen the truth about God around them but

have rejected Him and rejected those evidences to follow their own self-centered paths.

“Natural revelation leads not to salvation but to the demonstration that God's condemnation

is just: people are 'without excuse'.” -Moo-

“God has given mankind an adequate revelation of Himself (i.e. of His eternal power and

deity – His invisible nature and attributes) through the things which He created. But men,

because of their sinfulness, suppress the truth about Him.” -Steele & Thomas-

21. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

“They knew God” - That is, they knew His eternal power and divine nature as revealed in

creation. But this knowledge did not lead to worship, but rather, they took His blessings and

“did not thank him as God” (Matthew 5:45) They, thereby, perverted their knowledge

concerning God and sank further into either idolatry or atheism. (Acts 14:14-18)

“At the very center of every person, where the knowledge of God, if it is to have any positive

effects, must be embraced, there has settled a darkness – a darkness that only the light of the

Gospel can penetrate.” -Moo-

22. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

False religions, philosophies, ungodly scientific theories, and every other attempt by man to

divert worship from the One True God and instead worship idols, wisdom, ourselves, or

material goods is an example of this foolishness masquerading as wisdom.

23. and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Given the opportunity to bask in the glory of the immortal God, people have rather chosen, in

their folly, to worship the images of mortal human beings and beasts. This is a poor exchange

and shows the absurd nature of their reason.

24. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

“Therefore” - since they have rejected the knowledge of God available to them and have,

instead, given their worship to other things.

“God gave them up” - suggests that God has an active rather than a passive role in handing

the sinner over to the terrible cycle of ever-increasing sin.

Exchanging and Giving up

There are in these passages three exchanges of men and three giving ups or giving over of God:

v 23 – They exchange the glory of God for images

v 24 – God gives them up to impurity

v 25 – They exchange the truth of God for a lie

v 26a – God gives them up to dishonorable passions

v 26b-27 – They exchange natural relations (men and women) for unnatural ones

v 28 – God gave them up to a debased mind

“God often punishes one sin by abandoning the sinner to the commission of others, …

This judicial abandonment is consistent with the holiness of God and the free agency of man.

God does not impel or entice to evil. He ceases to restrain.” -Hodge-

25. because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

What truth are they exchanging for a lie? The truth, the reality, the fact of God as He has

revealed Himself. (The Thessalonians had reversed this exchange: 1 Thessalonians 1:9)

What is the lie? Worshiping and serving the creation INSTEAD of the Creator!

The Creator who is blessed forever! The Creator who deserves all worship and service.

The Creator who has sustained them, shown His loving kindness to them in providing for

them and in not destroying them instantly for their sinfulness. This Creator they have

ignored and rejected to, instead, follow their sinful passions and worship and serve His

creation. Calling it wisdom, they have become mad!

26. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
27. and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Natural means: God's created order, “To act against or contrary to nature means to violate the

order which God has established.” -Stott-

28. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

This time God gives them up, not to immorality, but to an unfit mind.

“People who have refused to acknowledge God end up with minds that are 'disqualified' from

being able to understand and acknowledge the will of God.” -Moo-

And this “depraved” mind leads to a whole variety of antisocial practices:

29. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
30. slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31. foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

This list begins with four general sins: all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, and

malice. Then goes into a more specific list of sins which lead to broken relationships: pride, and all inventions of evil and even the sometimes overlooked “disobedient to parents” or think of any authority which God has placed over you.

One translation lists the last four as, “Without brains, honor, love, or pity.” (This list is not

exhaustive but is meant to complete Paul's picture of the world without Christ and the Gospel.)

32. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

“The function of this concluding verse is to bring out even more fully the willful rebellion

against God that permeates humanity.” -Moo-

People generally, Paul claims, have some degree of awareness that the moral outrages they

commit are wrong and therefore deserve to be punished.

Conclusion:

Who are these people Paul is describing in this passage? This is a vivid picture of what we were before the intervention of God in Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 2:

1-10; Colossians 3:5-8)

Mythbusters: Carnal Christian Edition

‎"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their mind on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:5-8

     "The flesh" and "The Spirit" are not two options for Christian living, but instead they are two realms; two dominions.  We were in the flesh, (Rom. 7:5) under the power of sin, imprisoned there by the law, (Gal. 3:22-24) unable to please God and hostile to God, but now we have been transferred from this dominion of sin and death to the kingdom of righteousness and life and grace, (Col. 1:13-14) not to walk in sin any longer.

     We may sin, because we are still in this world and influenced by the things around us, but we will not walk in sin.  Or as John puts it, "practice sin" (1 John 3:4-10)  If you are walking in sin you are not a "Carnal Christian"; you are not any kind of Christian.  You are simply still in "the flesh".  You have never been transferred.  You are still locked up in sin and the law (your prison guard) (Gal. 3:24) is still on duty.  You cannot please God because you are still an enemy of God, (Rom. 5:10) and by your constant disobedience you reveal that you are still under His wrath. (John 3:36)

     If this is you, good news!  There's repentance!  Don't be deceived any longer, repent!  Stop quoting Romans 7 to yourself to get back to sleep.  That person that Paul is describing cannot be a Christian.  He describes himself as, "sold under sin" (7:14), "captive to the law of sin" (7:23), and totally defeated. (7:24)  This goes against everything that Paul has been teaching for the last three chapters.  So either Paul is off his nut or we are.  The answer for this man is found in 8:2-4.  Instead, Christians have been: "set free from sin" (6:8), "free from the law of sin and death" (8:2), and "more than conquerors" (8:37) through Christ Jesus.

     If you are consistently walking in sin, unable to break free, unrepentant, hard-hearted to your sins; then you are only deceiving yourself and others by naming yourself as Christian.  God is not fooled and He is the one to judge.  So please don't take offense, take alarm.  Confess your sins, and repent of your sins, and put your faith in Christ and His sacrifice on the cross.  Then you will be transferred into the Realm of Grace; set free from the sin's prison, no more under the guard of the law.  Free to serve and please God.

   Myth busted: there is no such thing as a carnal Christian.  No back slidden saints.  Only those that have been justified and redeemed by faith in Christ and those that remain in the Dominion of Sin and Death, held captive to the passions of their master, unable to please God.  So repent and believe and be transferred.
     

They Loved Not Their Own Lives (An open letter of confession to God)

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

(Revelation 12:11 ESV)

     I have been studying and reading through the book of Revelation recently trying to establish my view on eschatology (end times theology) by seeing what the Bible itself says concerning these things.  And while I still am very much undecided where I stand concerning the end of the world and Christ's return; I am finding myself very much challenged and convicted by the contents of this book.  This is not just a book about scary end-time events and antichrists and 666.  It is a book of worship.  It is soaked in the Gospel.

     Here is an excerpt from Sam Storm's website commenting on this particular verse in chapter 12:

"Here [John] means the willingness to give up good things for the sake of better things; the willingness to sacrifice all in life, even life itself, because life isn’t the most valuable thing to us; they would rather die than yield one inch of their hearts to the world or Satan; no earthly pleasure was worth denying Jesus. No promise of peace or power was deemed of greater value than the value of remaining steadfast. Perseverance. Hebrews 10:34 ('For you . . . accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one'). They had refused to let anything in life get a grip on their hearts in such a way that it might diminish their devotion to Jesus. 'Jesus is more valuable to us than anything life can offer. Jesus is greater treasure than life itself. We will gladly die before we renounce him!'"

     This "not loving our lives" is not some "death-wish lifestyle" or a legalistic aestheticism or a silly game of experimental self-denial, but a heart condition: a Jesus loving, cross carrying, God glorifying lifestyle!  Loving and following after God with your whole heart!  Enjoying God more than anything this world has to offer, more than even the blessings of God.

     This is where I want to be. 

     

     I confess that I am far from this, but this is the heart for which I am praying.  I can quote the Westminster Confession, but do I really enjoy God?  Am I glorifying Him by my lifestyle and the things upon which I choose to place my affection?  Is Jesus "greater treasure than life itself"?  When I sing songs of praise to God am I merely reciting words or could I really "sing of His love forever"?  Do I understand and know His love personally?  Have I tasted of the Lord and seen that He is good?  

     I know that I have.  But...

     These are questions that I have personally grilled myself about for years.  Not in a doubting way (I hope), but in a way of self-examining to see if I am truly in the faith kind of way. (2 Corinthians 13:5)  But too often I come to myself and find that I am far from "setting my affections on things above". (Colossians 3:2)  I am wrapped up in my own affairs.  Even good things; things given to me by God.  My family, my ministry, all of the wonderful things such as shelter, food, etc. that God has blessed me with, these become the center of an idolatrous relationship instead of an impetus to give thanks and glory and praise to God. (James 4:2-4)  Things meant to increase my affection for God have instead become the objects of my affection.  

     Too often, when I am most offended or embittered by something someone has said or done, it is because they have upset one of my idols.  They have dared to go into my shrine and desecrate my gods.  I have stopped "loving God with all of my heart and my neighbor as myself" (Matthew 22:37-40) and have instead enthroned myself.  Made me and my happiness the chief good.

     God please draw my heart to you!  Strip away everything that replaces you in my affection.  Thank you for all of your blessings: for my wife, for my children, for my church, for the ministry that you have given me, and for all of the wonderful things that you have seen fit to place in my life, but please, please do not let me love them more than you!  Remove from my mind, my heart, my affections, and from my hands everything and anything that is not glorifying to you and sanctifying for me.  

Amen

Biblical Evangelism (with apologies and thanks to Mark Dever)



Tolle Lege (Take up and read)



These are study notes from our new class on evangelism.  These are based heavily on Mark Dever's book "The Gospel and Personal Evangelism"  I merely organized the information there in a study note format for my students and added some of my own personal thoughts.  Everything in quotation marks is the work of Mark Dever.  I encourage everyone to pick up a copy.  It is available on Kindle for a little over $7.  The next chapter is "What is the Gospel"  I hope to have that up and ready by next Monday.  Enjoy and may you be encouraged to share your faith and be salt and light "in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation." Phillipians 2:15

Biblical Evangelism

Introduction

One of the clearest commands for the Christian and yet one of the most neglected is the command to share the Gospel (Good News) with others. To go and make disciples. Matthew 28:19 The Great Commission!

So why don't we do it? What is it? Who should do it? How do we do it? How should we not do it? Why should we do it? And what should we do after we do it? These are questions we will attempt to answer over the next few classes.

Why We Don't

A. Basic Excuses

1. I don't know their language. This is a common excuse and not necessarily an illegitimate one. In 1 Corinthians 14:10-23 Paul speaks of the importance of understanding each other. This is a legitimate excuse but there are things that we can do to overcome these obstacles, such as, learn the language.

2. Evangelism is illegal. Again, in some places, this could be a real reason to be careful in preaching the gospel, but for most of us this is not a real problem.

3. Could cause problems at work/school/family. If we are working for someone else, we are to be good servants and not use their time to evangelize, but there are often other opportunities around this to be a witness. Also, at school, we must not be inconsiderate of others and interfere with teaching or learning, but find the right moments to share the gospel with others. And with family, we must share but in love and never with rudeness or forcing it upon our loved ones. “We certainly don't want the sharing of the gospel to bring us or the gospel into disrepute for any reason other than a disagreement with the message itself.” We don't want our evangelism to stand in the way of the evangel (good news).

4. Other things seem more urgent. There are other duties in our life that are good and necessary for us to take care of in a timely manner. Spouse, children, work, etc. All of these are legitimate areas where we need to spend time and care. God has blessed us with these people and things to take good care of them. But sometimes we can use these as an excuse not to do what God has left us here to do.

5. I don't know any non-Christians. This is a common problem among many Christians, especially today. We have created for ourselves little Christian bubbles in which to live. Even in countries like Nepal, it can be easy to do all of your business with and spend all of your time with believers only. This is the opposite of being salt and light. This is the equivalent of hiding your light under a basket or pouring your salt beside your food and refusing to let it accomplish what God has commanded us to do. We must be salt by mixing ourselves in with our culture, by being in the world but not of the world. We must associate with those of this world. (1 Corinthians 5:9-10) We are to live in the world as a light to the world. (Philippians 2:15) But we are to do this blamelessly. We are priests of God representing His name to the nations. (1 Peter 2:9) We cannot do any of this living in a Christian bubble, avoiding contact with all unbelievers. We must not be afraid to engage our culture and it's people!

B. Excuses Concerning non-Christians

“People don't want to hear.” “They won't be interested.” “They probably already know the gospel.” “It probably won't work, I doubt they believe.”

These are all excuses that we have probably all used on ourselves about someone that we felt the Spirit calling us to share the gospel. These all show our faithlessness. Oh, we have faith but not in God. We are putting our trust in our own powers of persuasion or their ability to listen and believe and rightly judging them to be insufficient and not sharing the gospel on those beliefs.

     Like Moses, we hesitate to share the message God has given us because we doubt our own ability or we predict the unbelief of our audience, but really we doubt God and the power of the Gospel! (Exodus 4:1,10)

     What makes them so different than us? Why did we believe? Was it because we were more inclined to believe such a message? Was it because of our intelligence? No! It was the power of God! (1 Corinthians 4:7) Their faith, like ours, will be a gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Conversion is a miracle! It goes against the very laws of nature. We are born in sin, unable to hear or see God. Without the desire to know God. Everything within us denying Him and His existence. (Romans 1:18-23) The fact that anybody is saved is a miracle of God that is compared to the creation of the world! (2 Corinthians 4:6)

C. Twelve Steps to Help Us Not Stop Evangelizing

1. Pray! - If you are lacking opportunities to share the gospel, pray! Pray and be amazed as God answers your prayers and brings people into your life for you to share the good news.

2. Plan. - We plan for so many things in our lives: work, family, dinner, vacations, retirement, even entertainment! Why not plan for evangelism? There is nothing nonspiritual about planning time to go witnessing. Keep gospel tracts on you as you go about your day. Even if you can't stop and talk with someone, be sensitive to opportunities to pass these out or leave with someone that you've had the opportunity to share the gospel.

3. Accept. - “We have to accept that this is our job!” “Go therefore and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19) I have heard some say that we are not called to share the gospel but to make disciples. We are only called to train others in the faith, not go and call them to the faith. It is amazing how cowardice can distort our ability to read and understand simple text. We will not have anyone to disciple unless we go and make disciples by sharing with them the good news. This is our duty! It is to this that we are all called.

4. Understand. - “But evangelism is just not my gift.”, somebody might say. Okay, there is a gift of evangelism, but just because it is not your particular gift does not mean that it is not your duty. Hospitality and mercy are also giftings of the Spirit, but if that is not yours it doesn't mean that you are allowed to merciless and inhospitable. How absurd! This is every Christian's duty!

5. Be Faithful. - Sometimes in our attempt to be thoughtful of others, we might forget to whom we owe our allegiance. “Good manners are no excuse for unfaithfulness to God.” Sometimes we can more concerned about how people will respond and not concerned enough about God's glory. Be faithful to God and His glory. That is the business we are to be about. We were created for His glory and now that He has saved us and restored His image in us through the work of Christ, this is the most important thing that we can accomplish.

6. Risk. - We must be willing to put ourselves into situations where the outcome is not known and the end might even be uncomfortable. “We must be willing to risk in order to evangelize.” This is probably one of the greatest obstacles to our evangelism: our own pride. Too often we are more concerned with our own glory and not concerned enough with God's.

7. Prepare. - Sometimes our reason for not sharing the gospel is because of our own sense of unpreparedness. We are afraid we don't know enough, what if they ask me a question and I don't know the answer? Again, we must remember it will not be our own wisdom and ingenious answers that will lead someone to repentance but the Spirit of God. “We should prepare ourselves by knowing the gospel, working on our own humility, and studying more.”

8. Look. - Be aware of opportunities to share the gospel! So often we realize only too late that we had an amazing opportunity to share with someone and missed it because our minds were somewhere else. When this happens, we must not get too discouraged as if that person is now doomed to an eternity apart from God, because we goofed up, but we must be alert nonetheless. If we are closing our eyes in prayer for opportunities to share the gospel, we must also open them in faith and be ready to seize those same opportunities.

9. Love. - “We share the gospel because we love people. And we don't share the gospel because we don't love people. We protect our pride at the cost of their souls. If we would evangelize more, we must love people more.” We must love God's glory and other people more than our own reputation.

10. Fear. - “When we don't share the gospel, we are essentially refusing to live in the fear of the Lord. When the One who is our all-powerful creator and judge is also our merciful redeemer and savior, then we have found the perfect object for the entire devotion of our heart. And that devotion will lead us to share this good news about Him with others.”

11. Stop. - “We should stop excusing ourselves from evangelism on the basis that God is sovereign.” God is calling a great number to Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation. (Revelation 7:9-10) This should encourage us in our evangelism. This is the means God has chosen to call His people to Himself. (1 Corinthians 1:17-31) “We can't answer all the questions of how God's sovereignty and human responsibility fit together, but we can certainly believe that they do.”

12. Consider. - (Hebrews 12:3) “When we don't sufficiently consider what God has done for us in Christ – the high cost of it, what it means, and what Christ's significance is- we lose the heart to evangelize. Our hearts grow cold, our minds grow small, and our lips fall silent.”

Consider: That God has loved us as He has!

That God is glorified by our telling others of His amazing love.

That by keeping silent, we reveal our coldness to God's glory.

“That if we would be more faithful in evangelism, we would fuel the flame of love toward God within us, and of gratitude and hope. A fire so enflamed by God will have no trouble igniting our tongue.” (Matthew 12:3-4)