ROMANS.
Preface. In the early nineteen fifties, I had the privilege of attending the Kenley Bible School, and I was taught by men who knew God, walked with God, and loved His Word. I am very grateful for the tuition that I received from George Newsholme and Donald Gee, who were in charge of the Bible School while I was there, and for the special insight into the Scriptures that I received from Elisha Thompson and C. L. Parker. C. L. Parker had been a lecturer at Oxford University, and a minister in the Anglican Church. He was involved in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit early in this century in the Anglican Church at Sunderland, and in the Pentecostal movement. He was a fine Christian gentleman and an outstanding theologian and scholar, with a spiritual perception and prophetic insight which is only given to a few people.
I owe an incalculable debt of gratitude to C. L. Parker for the foundation
of Christian doctrine that he gave to me. I am particularly thankful
for the revelation that he gave to me of the gentle kindness and immense
sacrificial love of God for His creation. This revelation of the wonderful
character of God has been a continual source of joy, comfort and blessing,
both to myself and others. C. L. Parker also inspired me to seek for
a powerful manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This booklet
is based on C.L. Parker's notes on Romans with considerable additions
of my own in some places. The Appendix is my work, but it is based on
the thoughts of C.L. Parker. I trust these notes will be as great a
blessing and enlightenment to others, as the original teaching and notes
of C.L. Parker were to me. W.H. Turner. Dec. 8th. 1998. (I accidentally
omitted or erased C. L. Parker's chapter 5 in former editions, so when
this was pointed out to me, I added this chapter with sizeable additions
of my own. Nov. 23rd. 2002.)
Introduction. The New Testament does not
record how the Church in Rome came into being, however, it had undoubtedly
been in existence for some considerable time when Paul wrote to them.
Paul wrote his epistle to Romans in the Spring of A.D. 58 during his
last visit to Corinth, it could have been written from the house of
Gaius, where Paul had been a guest for three months in A.D. 54., about
four years before. Acts.20v3. Rom.16v23. From Paul's salutations in
Rom.16., we can see that Paul had met some of the Church members at
Rome in his travels, and knew them well. After his arrest at Jerusalem,
later in A.D. 58., Paul is kept in custody for two years at Caesarea
by Felix. Acts.24v10,27. In the autumn of A.D. 60, Paul is sent by Festus
to Rome by sea, and Luke and Aristarchus accompany him. Acts.27v1. After
the events of the storm and shipwreck they winter at Malta, and after
three months they set sail on a ship that had also wintered at Malta,
and arrive in Rome in the Spring of A.D. 61, three years after writing
his epistle to them.
The purpose for this epistle seems to be to prepare the way for a personal
visit, which Paul feels was laid upon him by the Lord. Acts.19v21. 23v11.
Paul had long desired to go to Rome, but his plans had been hindered
and frustrated. It is also very possible that God could have forbidden
Paul to go to Rome earlier, for "koluo," in Rom.1v13., is
rendered in various translations as "let," "prevented,"
or "hindered," is used in Acts.16v6. to speak of Paul and
his helpers being " forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the
Word in Asia." Paul, like the Lord Jesus, was under heavenly orders
from God the Father. Acts.16v6,7. with Jn.5v19,30. We also read in Acts.16v7.,
that the Spirit of Jesus did not permit ("eiasen," the first
aorist active of "eao," to allow) Paul and his helpers to
go into Bithynia.
The word "koluo," means "to hamper, hinder, prevent,
restrain and forbid," it is often translated as "forbid"
and "forbidding" in the Authorised Version. "Suffer the
little children to come unto me and forbid them not." Mk.10v14.
Mt.19v14. See also Mk.9v38,39., "and we forbade him, But Jesus
said, Forbid him not." Paul tells us in 1Cor.14v39., "forbid
not to speak with tongues," and in 1Tim.4v3., he says that forbidding
to marry is a doctrine of demons. See 1Thes.2v16., "Forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles." The Jews in Luke.23v2. falsely accused
Jesus of "Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar." In Luke.11v52.
the Lord Jesus accuses the Jewish theologians, "You have taken
away the key of knowledge; you did not go in yourselves, and you hindered
and prevented those who were entering. Peter says in Acts.11v17., "Who
was I that I could withstand, hinder, or forbid God." In Acts.27v43.
the soldiers are prevented from killing Paul. ("Koluo" occurs
23 times in the New Testament, 12 of them in Luke's Gospel and Acts.)
If God forbids us to do something, let us recognise it, He knows the
right time to open doors, it is far better to let Him open them, than
to try to force them open ourselves, Paul got into real trouble when
he tried to force open a door to the Jews at Jerusalem that the Lord
had closed. Acts.22v17-22.
Paul states in Rom.15v20-22., that the pressure of his evangelistic
work, and the desire to obtain fruit for Christ elsewhere, had hindered
him from visiting the Romans. Paul explains that he preferred to preach
the Gospel where Christ's name was not known. "Hindered" in
Rom.15v22. is "enekoptomen", the imperfect passive of "enkopto",
"to cut in, to cut off, to interrupt, to hinder;" in the papyri
it is used of a road being rendered impassable. The use of "enkopto"
here suggests the pain he felt in being "cut off" from ministry
to the Romans. The use of "enkopto" in Rom.15v22., is in sharp
contrast to its use in 1Thes.2v18., where "hindered," "enekopsen,"
the first aorist active indicative of "enkopto;" is used by
Paul to state that Satan had hindered him from visiting the Thessalonians.
Paul uses "enkopto" in Gal.5v7., to ask the Galatians who
it was who had impeded and hindered their spiritual progress and set
them in the wrong direction, by insisting that they should be circumcised.
In Gal.5v12., Paul uses "apokopto," "to cut off,"
to declare that these agitating Judaizers who had insisted on circumcision
for these Gentiles should be "cut off." See Acts.27v32. In
1Pet.3v7., Peter uses "enkoptesthai," the present infinitive
passive of "enkopto," to warn husbands that their prayers
will be permanently cut off and hindered if they don't treat their wives
in a correct and thoughtful way.
Paul makes definite plans to go to Rome, after he had taken the funds
for the poor to Jerusalem, and from Rome to Spain. Rom.15v24,26,28.
Paul sends this epistle to introduce himself to the Christians there,
and to clarify his teaching, probably to remove doubts about his ministry
from the conflicting reports going through the Church about him. Rom.1v15.
2v16. We can be thankful for this desire, for without it we would have
been deprived of Paul's greatest theological treatise. Paul states that
his doctrine was not received from men, nor taught him by men, but through
revelation directly from the Lord Jesus, even as Jesus got His doctrine
from the Father. Gal.1v11,12. Jn.7v15-18. N.B. v16. 14v10. Paul's doctrine
is Christ's truth for His Church.
SKELETON OUTLINE OF ROMANS.
1. Paul's Personal Greetings. 1v1-15.
2. Paul's Doctrine of Sin and Judgement. 1v16 to 3v23.
a. Among the Gentiles. 1v16 to 2v16. b. Among the Jews. 2v17 to 3v23.
3. Paul's Doctrine of Salvation from the Legal Punishment of Sin through
Christ Jesus. 3v21 to 5v21. Jn.3v16.
4. Paul's Doctrine of Christians being saved from the Power of Sin by
the Law of the Spirit and Life in Christ. 6v1 to 8v11. Jn.8v32-36.
5. Paul's Doctrine of God's Heavenly Family. 8v11-39. Jn.1v11.
6. Paul's Doctrine of God's Earthly Nation. 9v1 to 11v36. Acts.1v6.
7. Practical Details Arising from these Doctrines. 12v1 to 15v13.
8. Paul's Personal Greetings, Remarks and Farewells. 15v14 to 16v27.
Appendix. Paul. The prisoner of Jesus for the Gentiles. Eph.3v1.
4v1. Page 14.
1. PAUL'S PERSONAL GREETINGS. Rom.1v1-15.
a. Paul's statement of his divine commission to preach God's good news
to all nations.
This good news was the fulfilment of the promises made by God through
the prophets about His Son, who though essentially and eternally God,
became man, and was made of the seed of David according to His flesh,
in order to save mankind. Rom.8v3. Phil.2v6,7.
b. Paul's statement of his long frustrated desire
to be a blessing to the church at Rome.
As an apostle sent by Christ to the Gentiles, Paul feels a debtor, obligated
and favoured to preach the magnificent message God had entrusted to
him. Paul desired to impart (metadidomai) something more than the teaching
he was giving by letter, he desired to impart and share with them some
spiritual gift, "metado charisma umin pneumatikon," in order
that they might be strengthened and established in God, through experiencing
the strength that God gives through His gifts. "Sterichthenai,"
is the aorist passive infinitive of "sterizo," "to strengthen,"
the passive indicates that it is God who will strengthen, and the infinitive
with the preposition expresses the purpose. Spiritual gifts operate
in the purpose and will of God to strengthen Christians. Woe to those
who deny these gifts are for today, who "take away the key of knowledge"
and hinder Christians from receiving God's good gifts by their doctrine
and practice. In Lk.11v32. our Lord uses the strongest words possible
to condemn the blind religious leaders who hide away the keys of truth,
and with a vigorous continuous determination obstruct the entry of those
who are trying to find a deeper experience of God and His truth, "gnoseos."
"Hindered" is "ekolusate," the aorist active of
"koluo," to hinder. The wilful permanent opposition to truth
is seen by the present participle "tous eiserchomenous," "those
who are trying to enter," being used with "ekolusate."
2. PAUL'S DOCTRINE OF SIN AND JUDGEMENT. Rom.1v16
to 3v20.
Paul states the two major reasons why the whole adult world is guilty
before God, and His anger and judgement is revealed against all sin
and unrighteousness. Rom.3v19. 1v18. Mankind can help sinning, and God
tells them to repent for their sins. Augustine taught that mankind was
born incapable of living righteously, he was probably trying to make
up an excuse for the evil life that he lived before he became a Christian.
Paul's doctrine directly contradicts this teaching of Augustine, and
if we follow this teaching of Augustine we reject the divinely given
doctrine of Paul.
A. MANKIND HAS WILFULLY SUPPRESSED CREATION'S TESTIMONY
TO GOD.
Mankind has wilfully suppressed creation's irrefutable testimony to
god's eternal power and deity. Adult mankind has been intellectually
dishonest and degraded their intelligence. Love of evil has caused mankind
to deliberately suppress and deny the knowledge of God, which He has
given to everyone through His creation. The determination of mankind
to be intellectually dishonest about the existence and character of
God has resulted in mankind sinking, stage by stage, into the greatest
follies of idolatry and the vilest excesses of immorality, and finally
to the approval and applause of the worst kinds of evil and evil doers,
even though they know in their hearts of God's certain judgement on
this evil.
The minds which love evil and reject logical thinking about God, in
the end become almost incapable of correct judgement about spiritual
realities, that is they are reprobate. The delicate machinery of the
mind and spirit is easily damaged by evil. Phil.4v8. 2Cor.10v5. The
tragic choice to intellectually dispose of God, has resulted in God
giving people up to their uncleanness, their vile affections, and to
a reprobate mind. Rom.1v24,26,28. "Unto a reprobate mind,"
is "eis adokim noun," they had tested God, like you would
a coin, for "dokimizoi" is used of the testing of coins, and
had rejected Him and had turned away from Him, "kai kathos ouk
edokimason," so God rejected their mental attitudes and gave them
over to their intellectual folly. See 2Thess.3v2. "Unreasonable
and evil men," men whose minds won't work right and are out of
place, "autopon;" "evil," is "poneron,"
active evil. The mind is a delicate instrument and is easily damaged,
but some people deliberately sear their conscience with a red hot iron,
to make sure that it does not disturb them. 1Tim.4v2. Phil.4v8. 2Cor.10v5.
Those who do violence to their mind and reject and hold down the truth
will find that the end of evil is truly terrible, the Lord Jesus warns
that love of evil and the reprobate mind result in an eternal gnawing
worm of evil within the soul. Mark.9v44,46,48. Majority text. Mk.3v28-30.
Christians can have a mind that rejects truth and becomes reprobate
on certain issues, just as the apostles refused to accept the Christ's
prophecies about His death and resurrection, and suffered greatly for
it. Paul said that false doctrine can eat and spread like gangrene or
cancer and can destroy faith, like the false doctrine about the second
coming of Christ, which was preached by Hymenaeus, Alexander and Philetus,
whose doctrine had not only made shipwreck of their faith, but had also
overthrown the faith of other Christians. Paul committed these false
teachers for judgement, he delivered them to Satan, so that they might
learn not to blaspheme. Though the aim of Paul's discipline was to bring
these false teachers to repentance, there is no record that they did
repent. 1Tim.1v19,20. 2Tim.2v16-18.
We should love every bit of truth and welcome it, never seeking our
own opinion, but always the truth. We must have open hearts and malleable
minds, our attitude must not be to prove our argument, but to find out
what God says. "Oh send out Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead
me: Let them bring me into Thy holy hill." Ps.43v3. Once we reject
truth, light cannot come in on that line. Prejudice, is a determination
to make the facts fit our prior conclusions, it means to pre-judge,
and make up our minds before the evidence is given. If we accept the
theology of denominations, churches or preachers in order to be accepted,
it can blind us to the truth that God has for us. Peter warns us that
we usually have to be delivered from the traditions delivered to us
by our spiritual fathers. 1Pet.1v18,19. "Patroparadotos,"
means "that which is passed on from fathers, or learned by the
side of our spiritual fathers." The traditions of the elders often
make void the Word and commandment of God. Mt.15v1-9. Mk.7v1-13. Christ
is the living truth for the soul, not the traditions of men. Col.2v8,9.
N.B.1. AGNOSTICISM IS COMPLETE FOLLY IN THE PRESENCE
OF CREATION.
There cannot be a creation of such incredible complexity and beauty
without an all-powerful and all-wise Creator. Even a child is known
by his works. Prov.20v11. The creation declares God's eternal power
and deity. Rom.1v20. Ps.19v1-4. David was awed at God's foreknowledge,
and His providential care and love manifested in Creation, he said,
"I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are Thy works;
And that my soul knoweth right well." Ps.139v14.
N.B. 2. IDOLATRY HAS SPRUNG OUT OF A DESIRE AND LOVE FOR EVIL.
Mankind has desired an object of worship that will allow them to do
evil without check or hindrance. This has led to the utter folly of
worshipping cows and bulls in India, the ibis and beetles in Egypt,
stocks and stones in Africa, demons in China, emperors in Rome, and
in our day, political and religious leaders, and stars of films, sport
and entertainment. Paul stresses that because men have free will, God
is obliged to give them up to evil if they insist on going into it.
Rom.1v24,26,28. There are no more terrible words than, "God gave
them up."
B. MANKIND HAS SUPPRESSED THEIR CONSCIENCE AND BEEN
MORALLY CORRUPT. Rom.2
Conscience is not the voice of God, for as in Paul's case, he thought
it was correct to persecute Christians, and his conscience certainly
conflicted with God's Law and desires. Acts.26v9. with 23v1. Indeed,
Rom.14v5. tells us that people's consciences can vary. Our conscience
is formed by the necessity of passing moral judgements. The law of conscience
is that law of conduct, which a person expects their neighbour to behave
by in relation to them. Every person will be judged by the standard
which they lay down for their neighbour. The people who judge and condemn
their neighbour can also judge and condemn their own actions, particularly
when, as Paul says here, they condemn in others the things that they
are doing. Those who expect others to keep the law, and treat others
correctly and in love, are expected so to behave. It is worthy of note
that mankind expects others to keep, and believes they are able of keeping,
the law of conscience and the Law of God. It is a matter of experience
that the moral law is forced out of our own hearts by our automatic
and natural reaction to the acts of others; it is involuntary and cannot
be stopped; for example, the victim of robbery cannot help saying to
the thief, "Thou shalt not steal." Most of the ten commandments
of God, are the also the involuntary reactions, protestations and commandments
of men to those who break the moral law.
The moral law is intended to protect society from wrongdoing. The validity
of the moral law rests upon the deepest of natural desires, i.e. to
remain in a state of happiness; and obedience to the moral law is the
means whereby the happiness joy and peace of society can be preserved.
"The work of righteousness is peace, and the effect of righteousness,
quietness and assurance for ever." Is.32v1,17. Peace will reign
when the Prince of peace and the other sons of God reign in righteousness.
The whole creation groans and waits for the manifestation and righteous
rule of the sons of God. Rom.8v19-21. God Himself has ordained that
holiness and happiness are the end of life, and He will allow nothing
that defiles that purity and happiness to enter His eternal kingdom.
Rev.21v3-8,27. The happiness of Heaven will be preserved for ever by
the eternal total dedicated love of the inhabitants of that kingdom
for each other and God. Only by loving God and his neighbour can a man
or a society live happily. God is the only one who can help us to run
this complex universe in a way that produces happiness. The chaos and
pain in the world is the result of mankind forsaking God and going on
their own selfish sinful way.
In other words, the moral law is not an end, but the means, and only
means, to the end of a happy life. True happiness, then, springs out
of promoting the happiness of others. The fruits of the Spirit, joy
and peace, are based on a life lived to promote the welfare and happiness
of others. The wicked seek their own happiness regardless of the pain
and distress that it may cause others. Selfish and wicked people end
up in destroying their own peace and happiness, there is no peace to
the wicked.
A. THE JUDGEMENT BY GOD OF THE GENTILES. Rom.2v1-6.
Paul tells us that the Gentiles, who have not known the Law of God,
will be judged by the law of their conscience, their conscience is the
standard which they expect others to treat them by, and by which they
have judged their neighbour; this standard is plainly revealed by the
interplay of their own thoughts about their neighbour and about themselves.
Conscience, then, is a razor to shave ourselves with, not to cut our
neighbour's throat, as it is so often used to do. Mt.7v1-6. Every time
you criticise others, you lay a standard by which you will be judged,
and if you do the things that you condemn in others, you will lay yourself
open to the righteous judgement of God.
B. THE JUDGEMENT BY GOD OF THE JEWS. Rom.2v17 to
3v9.
Paul warns the Jews who boasted that they were God's chosen people,
to whom God had entrusted the Law of Moses, that they will not be acquitted
by the possession of that Law, but only by obedience to it. Paul warns
the Jews who used the possession of the Law to point out to the Gentiles
their inferiority, that a Gentile who does not know the Law, but though
being ignorant of it, he keeps it, is better off than a Jew who knowingly
breaks it. Paul states that it is a fact of history that the lives of
disobedient Jews have bought dishonour to the name of God. Our Lord
condemned the Jews who boasted in the Law of God, but did not keep it,
and told them that the Law that they prided themselves in, accused them
if they did not keep it. Mt.23v3. Lk.11v42,52. Jn.5v45. Deut.31v26.
Likewise the Christian Gospel condemns bad living and disobedient Christians
who do not live by its truths. Mt.7v13-29. Jn.13v17. In Galatians, Paul
stated that the most valuable thing that the Law could do, was to bring
us with humbled broken spirits to Christ to ask for mercy. Gal.2v16
to 3v29. N.B. 2v16. 3v19,24.
N.B. THE TRUE ADVANTAGE OF THE JEW. Rom.3v1-8.
Paul strongly asserts, as did also our Lord, that the true advantage
of the Jew was not the Law of Moses, which brought condemnation, but
the promise given to Abraham which brought justification. Jn.7v19. God's
motive in giving the Law of Moses was not to justify Israel, but to
make them conscious of sin, so that they would be thankful for a Saviour.
The Jews turned what should have been an humbling blessing into a veritable
curse by their pride in the possession of the Law. cf. Gal.3v13 to 4v7.
As Pentecostal Christians we have to be very careful that we don't follow
their example by thinking that we are superior to others, and we have
to take heed that we live up to our privileges and humbly thank God
for His undeserved kindness to us.
C. THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD FINDS ALL THE WORLD GUILTY.
Rom.3v9-23.
a. The Gentiles are guilty of breaking their own standards, the law
of conscience.
b. The Jews are guilty of breaking the Law of God given to Moses.
c. Mankind was not born as unregenerate sinners, but voluntarily went
into sin.
Paul quotes several Scriptures from the Old Testament to show that all
mankind has individually and collectively departed from God and the
truth, and gone into evil. No one has understood and sought out God,
instead they have ALL GONE OUT OF THE WAY, and have BECOME unprofitable,
and no one does good, no not one. Ps.14v1-3. 53v1-3. Eccles.7v20. Their
throat carries the stench of an open tomb, and their tongues are filled
with deceit, Ps.5v9.; they bite like asps, Ps.140v3.; and their mouths
are filled with cursing and bitterness. Ps.10v7. They run hot-foot to
kill, murderers, who wherever they go cause ruin, misery and destruction;
and the way of peace they have not known. Is.59v7,8. They care nothing
about God, and do not fear or reverence Him. Ps.36v1. Paul concludes
his argument by saying that all the world is guilty before God, "For
there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God." v19,22,23.
N.B. Mankind has gone astray, not was born astray.
Augustine wrongly taught that mankind was born astray. In Rom.3v9-23.,
Paul states that mankind has gone astray, as does Is.53v6.. Paul says
in Rom.7v9., that he was born alive to God and went astray when he gave
way to temptation, James confirms this theology. James.1v13-15.. Jesus
is the light that gives light to every person who comes into the world.
Jn.1v9. Jesus said that children's angels always behold the face of
God in Heaven, and said, "of such is the kingdom of Heaven."
Mt.18v1-5,10. Mk.10v13-16. Children are certainly not bound for Hell
as Augustine taught, his main text for this awful doctrine was a incorrect
interpretation of Ps.51v5., "Behold, I was shapen, ("chuwl,"
brought forth in labour) in iniquity, And in sin did my mother conceive
me." Augustine's teaching that David was saying that he was born
a sinner, is a total perversion of this text, as the whole verse is
talking about the morality of David's mother. Was David excusing his
sin on the grounds of being born into a sinful environment? Or was there
a question about David's parentage? Jesse did not bring David in with
the rest of his sons even when Samuel asked for them all to be brought
before him, a strange disobedience in the light of the fact that he
and all Bethlehem trembled in fear at Samuel's visit to Bethlehem. 1Sam.16v3-5,11-13.
The fact that God tells mankind to repent of the evil they have done
shows that mankind could have avoided sinning if they had so wished.
God does not tell people to repent of things they could not avoid doing.
Lk.3v3,8. 24v47-49. Mk.1v5,14. Acts.2v38. 3v19. 17v30,31. 26v20. 2Pet.3v9.
d. The Interval Between God's Sentence and His execution of that
Sentence. Rom.2v4-10.
This delay is designed by God to produce repentance and so avert punishment.
Man, however, instead of being broken by the mercy and longsuffering
of God, has misused this period of space for repentance, to quieten,
hold down, and dismiss their fear of the justice and judgement of God.
Because sentence upon their evil works is not executed speedily, the
hearts of the sons of men is thoroughly set in them to do evil. Eccles.8v11.
They deceive themselves that there will be no wages of sin, they sear
their consciences with a red hot iron, and continue in sin without any
fear or apprehension of divine judgement. Psalm.10v4-11. Is.26v10. Consider
Pharaoh, whose heart was hardened more and more by God's miracles, kindness
and mercy, until he had no fear of the justice and judgement of God.
e. The day of judgement.
Though delayed, the judgement of God will come, and God's justice will
be vindicated. The righteous will be delivered and rewarded; the wicked
will be taken and punished. The fearsome words of Rom.2v9., "crushing
pressure and torturing confinement, on every soul of man who does evil."
"Thlipsis kai stenochoria." "Stenochoria," which
is translated as "anguish" in the A.V., literally means "confined
space, or torturing confinement," Christ told us that eternal confinement
in God's prison is a thing to be feared. Mt.10v28. Lk.12v5. Mk.9v42-48.
N.B. 1. GOD'S ANGER ARISES FROM HIS POSITION AS CREATOR
AND JUDGE.
a. As a loving Creator, God's wonderful plans have been continually
frustrated by angels and men, who for their own selfish ends were willing
to tear both Heaven and Earth to pieces rather than pay regard to God's
Law. They defied and hated God because He was just and no respecter
of persons, and insisted upon His position being recognised. God's love
and justice manifested their unrighteousness, and failing to repent,
they could only see and hate God. John.15v22-26.
b. As a just Judge, God is obliged to
champion those who suffer injustice, and to avenge those who are wronged.
His eyes look continually upon all events in the world, and those who
wrong the righteous and oppress the weak will receive the justice and
judgement that they deserve. The cries of the afflicted and persecuted
continually rise up to His ears. One day God will indeed release His
pent up anguish at the suffering of the righteous and innocent, and
will deal with and destroy both wicked angels and men in blazing anger
and judgement. Is.34v1-8. N.B. v5 "My sword shall be bathed in
heaven." Is.42v13-17. 63v1-6. Amos.2v6-16. Rev.6v17. 16v5-7. 19v11-21.
20v1-3. Mt.13v36-43,47-50. 25v41,46. 2Thes.1v4-10. 2v8.
God's anger is not the bad temper of a despot, but the reasoned righteous
anger and indignation of a loving judge. It is aroused, not by His own
sufferings, but by the sufferings of others. See our Lord's anger at
the Scribes and Pharisees. Mt.23v1-39. especially v4,14,23,30,34,35.,
and His anger and judgement on the wickedness of the Antichrist. Rev.6v17.
In essence there is no difference between God's problem and that of
any ruler. Rulers have to preserve the peace and happiness of society,
they have to face the opposition of those who would try to defeat this
purpose, and in the end they have to liquidate malicious and malignant
enemies. God has to confine eternally to Hell those who oppose His loving
purposes, for with the selfish unrepentant wicked at large there would
only be pain and distress, and happiness would be quite impossible.
The only response that God can make to eternal sin is eternal confinement,
otherwise happiness would be impossible for rest of creation. Mt.12v31,32.
Mk.3v28-30. In Mk.3v29. the correct reading is "eternal judgement,"
not "eternal sin:" the vast majority of manuscripts read "kriseos,"
"judgement," which occurs in A, C, K, Pi, the massive Byzantine
manuscript evidence, the Lectionaries, the Syrian Peshitta and Harclean
and others; whereas the reading of "eternal sin," "hamartematos,"
only occurs in a small number of manuscripts, Aleph, B, L, Delta, and
Theta, 28, 33, and 565.
N.B. 2. GOD'S ANGER AND WRATH SPRING FROM HIS LOVE.
The wrath and punishment of God mentioned in Rom.2v5-11., spring from
His love of the righteous, and His determination to provide eternal
happiness for them. The wicked are eternally confined to Hell to prevent
them from eternally wrecking the peace and happiness of kingdom of Heaven.
The wages of sin is death, because the sinner is too dangerous to be
left at large. Since all have sinned, the justice of God would compel
Him to judge and execute all sinners, but this would result in the destruction
of all mankind and leave the Creation a complete wreck. To leave sinners
alive would mean a continuance of the sufferings caused by man's inhumanity
to man, to slay them all, would similarly make happiness impossible,
so the whole plan of Creation was threatened by sin. God therefore,
made the plan of redemption before the foundation of the world, He Himself
paying the price of sin for those who repent, the Creator dying for
the creature. Unrepentant eternal sin can never be paid for, that demands
eternal judgement.
Like the wicked angels, the sinner in the end becomes a total sadist
who only finds pleasure in causing pain and suffering to others, and
inflicting upon them the most awful depths of sadistic torment, oppression
and torture. Hitler's extermination and torture camps show how malign
and evil the human heart can become. The only answer to unrepentant
evil like this, is eternal confinement in God's totally secure prison,
Hell. The torment of Hell is not only caused by the confinement and
isolation of everlasting chains of darkness, 1Sam.2v9. 2Pet.2v4,17.
Jude.v13., it is caused by the gnawing worm of evil in the soul. The
mind that embraces evil is in the end tormented and destroyed by evil.
The evil that the wicked embrace, torments, twists and destroys their
mind and personality; our Lord said that evil was a ghastly gnawing
worm that would devour and torture the soul and mind of the wicked.
In Mk.9v44,46,48., "where the gnawing worm dieth not," occurs
in all three texts in the Majority Text. God is not thrashing or tormenting
the wicked in Hell, for there is no hope of changing the incorrigible
wicked; chastening the wicked would do no good, those in Hell love evil
so much, and have so hardened their hearts, that it is impossible to
bring them to repentance. Heb.6v4-6.
N.B. 3. The Hedonist, who teaches that
happiness is the highest good, and the Utilitarian, who makes the basis
of moral distinctions in the utility of actions, by their fitness to
produce happiness, both say that happiness is the end of life. However,
happiness to the Hedonist means pleasure; and to the Utilitarian, it
means the seeking of one's own happiness. Pleasure seeking often leads
to the worst kind of unhappiness, for example, drunkenness, immorality,
and sadism; there are the pleasures of sin all of which spring from
selfishness. One of the signs of the last days is that men will be "lovers
of pleasure more than lovers of God." 2Tim.3v4.
The true pursuit of happiness involves the pursuit of the happiness
of others as well as the happiness of oneself. True happiness is a by-product
of the love for other people; pursue happiness and it eludes you, pursue
the happiness and good of others, and you find real happiness. The pursuit
of ones own happiness, makes one indifferent to the happiness of others;
the pursuit of other people's happiness brings as a by-product ones
own happiness and satisfaction. If everyone seek their own happiness
regardless of others, the result is universal misery. God's plan is
that everyone will seek other people's happiness, so everyone would
have millions of people trying to make you happy, instead of just one
person, yourself.
N.B. 4. The Law was given by God to show
the way of life to those who desired to know it, and needed it. Rom.7v10-12.
Gal.3v12. When once the Law was broken, however, it brought a knowledge
of sin and death, Rom.7v12,13., for when a person sinned and was dead
in trespasses and sins, the Law could not give him life, or offer him
any help. Rom.8v2-4. Gal.3v21. The Law could guide a man who was alive
to God, but it could not give life to, or revive, a dead one.
The Jews relied on self-justification through keeping the Law of Moses
to obtain salvation and justify themselves, so Jesus tried to get them
to believe in Him and rely on the promises of God for justification
and to live the life of faith; for those who want to be justified by
works must keep the whole Law perfectly, and none have, except Christ
Jesus.
3. THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION FROM THE LEGAL PUNISHMENT OF SIN.
3v21 to 5v21.
1. The Cross of Christ Establishes the Law of God. Rom.3v21-31.
Since the moral Law provides the only means whereby people can live
in happiness together; those who break it must suffer the penalty of
death, since their continued existence threatens the happiness of the
whole Creation. Paul answers the questions that spring to the mind from
the statement of these facts. How was God able to forgive Old Testament
and New Testament sinners and accept them as redeemed saints, instead
of executing them as the Law demanded? Ezek.18v4,20. "The soul
who sins shall die." Did not forgiveness of the sinner undermine
the majesty of the Law, and encourage lawbreakers to hope for immunity
and discourage those who look to the Law of God for protection? (Uriah's
family had every right to ask how God could forgive David, for his immorality
and murder.) Paul's answer, given by revelation personally from Christ,
Gal.1v11,12., is, that, before the sinner could be forgiven, the majesty
of the Law had to be established, and ITS JUST CLAIMS ACKNOWLEDGED,
and the penalty of the broken law paid for; this God did by the public
execution of His Son and His imprisonment in Hades as a sinner. Is.53v5-12.
v10. "Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin." v12.
"He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with
the transgressors, and He bare the sin of many." Heb.2v9. "That
He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." "Tasting
death," meant going to Hades, not just dying on the cross. The
Creature could not be forgiven until the Creator had been killed in
their place. This cost was counted, accepted and predestined before
Creation, so forgiveness was possible in the light of Christ's future
atonement. Titus.1v2. Rev.13v8. 17v8. Rom.16v25-27.
Through the death of Christ God proclaimed to both angels and men, the
following tremendously important facts.
a. Christ's death proclaims that the wages of sin is death, and no one
can escape the consequences of sinning.
b. Christ's death proclaims that the sinner had no possible escape from
judgement, unless someone else paid his debt to the Law, as the sinner
was never able to pay the penalty of his sin.
c. Christ's death proclaims to all the amazing fact of the astonishing
love of the Trinity for totally undeserving sinners, and causes us to
marvel at their total sacrificial love and dedicated goodness.
d. Christ's death makes it possible for all who repent of their sins,
and believe that He is the promised redeeming Lord, and accept His atonement
for sin on their behalf, to be forgiven their sins. The sinner could
be forgiven without the Law be flouted, and God could be just and yet
justify the sinner who believed in Jesus. Rom.3v26. Since the LIFE of
the Creator had been given for the LIVES of His creatures, the majesty
of the Law had been magnified and established FOR EVER, and all hope
of breaking it had been taken away. The way of faith does not make the
law void, it establishes the Law. Rom.3v31.
2. Justification By Faith. Rom.4v1-8.
Just as a criminal who has "done his time," is no longer a
criminal, but "justified," and legally untouchable; so in
the New Testament, "justification," does not mean that the
redeemed sinner has a good character, but that they are free from condemnation
under the Law. Christians, like any person who is found guilty in a
court of Law, can walk out free because someone else has paid the fine
and debt to the Law. The Law "owed" justification to Christ
Jesus, and pronounced Him "righteous" and "justified,"
because He had not transgressed the Law; but David was pronounced justified
after committing the atrocious crimes of adultery, murder, lying and
deception. Rom.4v6-8. Abraham was justified because he believed the
promise that God gave to him of being the father of a family that was
to be like the stars of heaven in number. Gen.15v1-6. 17v4,15-19. 18v1-15.
with Rom.4v3-5. Both David and Abraham were allowed a walk with God
on the basis of their faith and the future atonement of Jesus; they
did not deserve to be justified, but found it given them as an act of
grace. Grace, grace, grace. Zech.4v7. However, Christ's future atonement
did not deliver the Old Testament saints from Hades, when they died
they had to go to Hades to await Christ's atonement, at which time He
took them out of Hades into the kingdom of Heaven. Lk.9v31. "Exodus."
Eph.4v8. Heb.2v15. This resulted in the Old Testament saints being in
bondage through fear of death, and so they dreaded dying. Job.10v20-22.
In Gen.37v35. 42v38. 44v29., "grave," is "Sheol."
Is.38v1-3. Hezekiah Heb.2v15.
3. Justification By Faith is Independent of Any Preceding
Moral Action. Rom.4v9-12.
Jews and Gentiles were on an equality with each other when it came to
justification by faith, for Abraham was justified before circumcision,
which was only an outward sign of the righteousness he already possessed
through faith. Gen.15v6. 17v10. So, also, water baptism does not regenerate,
but is an outward sign of regeneration by faith. The Jew was justified,
not by the Law of Moses," but "by the faith of Abraham."
Gal.3v10-12. 2v16.
4. The Security of Justification. Rom.4v13-16.
Only through the Divine provision of mercy being received by faith could
the promise be secure, for if it depended upon perfect Law keeping,
it could at any moment be lost forever by sinning. So we see the perfection
of the divine plan of redemption, for by it mercy is available, not
only to the sinner, but also to the broken and needy and sinning saint.
This mercy is completely "legal," because of the atonement
of our Lord Jesus, and the love of God our Father.
5. The Test of Faith. Rom.4v17-22.
Our Faith is tested by God, and is given sufficient strength to stand
the test. Abraham and Sarah were visited by the Lord and angels, in
order to strengthen their faith and overcome their unbelief and failure
in the past. Gen.17v18. 18v12-15. See Rom.4v20., "was strengthened
in faith:" Abraham's faith was strengthened by these visits, and
the unveiling of the Divine presence and purposes. It seems that an
increase of faith is always due to something that God does; either through
the deposit of a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the soul and spirit,
or through an open revelation of the Divine person and presence, or
through angelic revelation, or through some other act and manifestation
of Divine power. These divine encouragements transforms our faith to
a living faith. James.2v21-26. This is a great consolation and leads
to peaceful trust in God, instead of fretful striving. Let us cling
fast to our heavenly Father's unveiling of His presence and purposes,
and thank God for His angels, and cherish their help, and even more
the Lord who sends them.
6. The Justification of the Christian. Rom.4v23
to 5v2.
Paul states that we can have righteousness imputed to us if we believe
in God the Father and His great grace. Rom.4v24. We receive not only
peace with God through our Lord Jesus, but access by faith into this
grace wherein we stand. Paul bursts into a theological poem of praise
and highest commendation on the love of God, who gave His Son to die
for sinners, and who will withhold nothing from His children. The amazing
love of God that saves His enemies, at immeasurable cost to Himself,
and then goes on to spend eternity keeping them in safety and happiness.
Rom.5v3-11. John.3v16.
7. The Contrast Between Adam and Christ in Their Effect Upon Humanity.
Rom.5v12-21.
Some interpret these verses in Romans to mean that men are forced into
sin, and they cannot help sinning, because of the sin of Adam. Those
who insist that these verses teach that all mankind is forced into evil
by Adam's sin, must accept that this would make these verses teach ultimate
reconciliation for all mankind. The key verses are verses 17,18, and
19; Adam's sin did not force men to be sinners, no more than Christ's
atonement forces men to be justified; in both cases the free will of
man is the determining factor. Rom.5v12,17. The result of following
Adam is spiritual death, the result of following Christ is justification
and spiritual life. Is.53v6.
Paul compares the severity of God in condemning Adam after one sin,
with God's mercy to the Christian after a multitude of sins. Rom.5v16.
James.5v19,20. Adam's first sin, the first step away from God, was the
beginning of many steps away from God. God dealt immediately with Adam's
sin, both for Adam's and the Creation's sake, lest he continued to live
for ever by partaking continually of the tree of life. Notice the kind
and gentle attempts to make Adam and Eve confess their sin, and the
thoughtful provision of God, even after their rebellion. The physical
death which fell upon the human race after Adam's sin, is not the result
of any person's sin, for children still die who have not sinned, Rom.5v14.,
physical death is the result of the withdrawal of the tree of life.
Had not this been done, Adam would have lived forever in sin. Gen.3v22-24.
8. The Role of the Law. Rom.5v20. God
gave His Law through Moses, not as a means of justification, but to
produce conviction of sin and a realisation that without God's mercy
there was no hope of salvation, it was intended to produce a willingness
to repent and accept forgiveness and mercy by faith. Gal.3v19-24.
9. The Abundance of Grace. Rom.5v17,20,21 The abundance of
grace has more than restored what mankind has lost by sin; by God's
great grace, even sin has been turned to man's advantage; God has managed
to bring something lovely out of man's sinfulness, sinners have become
sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus. Rom.8v14-17. However,
this does no mean that we are to sin that grace may abound, indeed we
are to avoid sin, for sin is a killer and it works eternal death. Rom.6v1,2.
If sin is persisted in, it hardens the heart beyond any hope of repentance.
Rom.8v6,13. Heb.6v1-8. 10v26.
4. THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION FROM THE POWER OF SIN FOR CHRISTIANS..6v1-8v13.
1. Sin is a Killer. Rom.6v1-12. The abundance
of grace that comes to us through the death of the Lord Jesus, is not
intended to enable us to sin without fear of the consequences, it is
intended to make us frightened of ever sinning again. Sin is always
a killer and demands its wages. Rom.8v13. 6v23. We had sold ourselves
under sin, Rom.7v14. Is.50v1. 52v3., and baptism in water shows us in
a picture that Christ had to pay these wages of sin and die and be buried
before we could be redeemed. Sin the killer, will always be a killer,
and will never give life. If we are to live, we must be set free from
sin. By walking in the Spirit with the risen Lord, the Law of the Spirit
and life will operate and the Christian can walk in victory over the
desires of the flesh. Christ, in this way, sets His brethren free from
the power of sin in the flesh, and they are no longer under the old
compulsion to sin. Gal.5v16. Rom.8v1-4.
2. Sin Must Therefore Be Resisted. Rom.6v12-23. Christ's
redeeming death has set us free and broken sin's dominion over us, but
it is up to us to take full advantage of this freedom and no longer
allow sin to master the soul again. If we fail to do this and again
become a slave to sin, we will come to the same end as before, spiritual
death and shame, and a fearful waiting for judgement. Heb.10v26-30.
2Pet.2v19-22. The advantage of Grace over Law is, not that it enables
us to live in sin without paying the penalty, but that it enables us
to live in communion with Christ and serve Him, because He has broken
the grip which sin had upon us, by paying its wages, and by giving us
life in our spirits. Christian freedom does not allow us to break God's
Law with impunity, nor does it give us the liberty to sin without reaping
the penalty of our sin. Christ gives us freedom from the old thraldom
and bondage to sin, and gives us the ability to keep the moral Law of
God. Rom.8v4.
3. The Two Husbands. Rev.7v1-6. When the soul yields to
the allurements of the flesh, it finds, too late, that it has married
a tyrannous husband from whom there is no escape. The children of this
marriage result in a series of actions which plunge the soul into death.
It was only when the death of Christ's body paid the penalty for our
deeds, and was counted as the death of our bodies and souls, was the
soul free to contract another marriage, this time with Christ our spirits.
The children of this marriage are acts of faith pleasing to God, which
elevate the soul to the kingdom of God.
4. Paul's Description of His Marriages to the Flesh
and the Spirit. Rom.7v7 to 8v4. Paul gives a description
of His souls first wooing, and the unhappy marriage to the flesh that
followed; and then goes on to describe his marvellous rescue by Jesus,
and his happy second marriage to the spirit. Paul pictures himself as
a young ignorant girl, with two suitors for her hand in marriage, then
she realises that one of the suitors is good and the other bad. The
foolish girl yields to the deceptive promises of the alluring bad suitor
and marries him. Too late she realises she has made a ghastly mistake,
and has been trapped into an appalling marriage, she is now forced against
her will to share the life of her husband, whose power and domination
she can not break. Her will is free, but alas, not her actions. Then
the good suitor, who she had previously rejected in favour of the bad
suitor, much to her great delight comes again, and he slays the evil
suitor, who became the first husband, and he is now free to marry her
whom he had always loved. Now her actions as well as her will is free,
under the Law of the Spirit and life in Christ, so she never need again
live the old life of sin and shame, but can live a life which is pleasing
to her new spouse.
5. Fleshly and Spiritual Life Contrasted. Rom.8v5-13.
The vital importance of the New Birth of the person's own spirit is
stressed, for without this spiritual rebirth, the soul is dead to God;
but though dead to God, the spirit is not annihilated, and is dominated
by, and capable of, contacting other evil spirits. Eph.2v1-10. The spirit
is quickened at the New Birth, and is said to be "born again."
Eph.2v1. Jn.3v3,7,8. It is the obedient Holy Spirit led believers who
are the true sons of God. Rom.8v14.
If the spirit is dead, that is, cut off from God, the soul is cut off
to all but earthly, worldly and fleshly thoughts and desires, and looks
upon this material world as the only reality, for the natural man is
unable to perceive the things of the Spirit of God. 1Cor.2v14. In such
a condition the flesh dominated soul cannot obey a God of whose existence
it has no experience, and cannot please Him, in whom it has no faith.
Such a person lives in bondage to their desires, being controlled by
them. The revelation of God in Creation has been "held down,"
by the majority of mankind, to enable them to continue in sin. Faith
in God is, therefore, resisted in spite of all the evidence of His reality
in Creation, or by His miraculous acts.
The New Birth, however, opens up such a new world, that the old dead
experience gives place to a peaceful and hopeful life, which effects
even the mortal body with its vitality, the Spirit quickens our mortal
body. Rom.8v11. The Christian has to live in all the new truths revealed
to him by the Spirit, and only so will he be able to put off the old
life, and put an end to its old way of living. Any Christian who reverts
to their old way of living, will again begin to die, and finally will
end up with a dead spirit again.
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