Notes on Romans

[Ironside]

I would like to share to Christians here my personal notes of a Bible study conducted here in Cebu with fellow church members whom i served. We did a verse by verse expository Bible study on Romans every Saturday night. Though the notes are quite raw and crude with regards to structure, style and grammar , i hope God will use it to the blessing of your soul. Every week a verse will be posted by yours truly.


[The verses are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise indicated].




Romans: An Expository verse by verse Bible study


Ro 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God


Here in verse 1 we have a) the name of the sender b) his affiliation c) his calling and d) his life-work


It was customary thing to do in the first century [especially in Greek and Latin letters] for a letter sender to place his name at the outset of the letter introducing himself in contrast to our present practice of writing the sender’s name at the end. So here in the beginning of the letter to the Romans Paul introduced himself.


Ro 1:1> “ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,”


The sender introduced himself as Paul. The apostle actually had two names; one Jewish the other Roman. His Jewish name is Saul while His Roman name is Paul.

Paul means “Little”. If you get a concordance and look for the name Paul, you will easily notice that the very first time this name is cited in the Bible is in Acts 13:9. The context of this verse is about Paul’s first missionary journey to the Gentiles. As a persecutor of the Church, his name was Saul but when he became a missionary to the Gentiles, he now uses his Roman name Paul. If you study the life of Paul in the New Testament, you can see that he really lived up to his name. He became “Little”, that is, he lived a life of a servant, serving the Gentiles with the Gospel of salvation. Are we willing to be little [servants] for others for the sake of our Lord?


There were brothers in Christ who addressed him as Saul, especially in the early stages of his conversion but there are also brothers in Christ who addressed him as Paul. The Scriptures began to use his Roman name Paul when the Holy Spirit began to send him to the Gentiles [the non-Jewish world] to spread the good news of salvation. And as seen in the letters of Paul to the Gentiles, he always addressed himself as Paul not Saul.


Here we see of Paul’s versatility and flexibility. He did not use his Jewish name Saul when relating to and with the Gentiles, he used his Gentile or Roman name, Paul. Probably for the reason that they could identify and relate with him more fully. He sought a common ground on which he and his Gentile readers could stand eye to eye with each other aside from their common faith in Christ.

Application:


A great lesson can be gleaned from this. The Church of God is an organism of unity. We have one faith, one Lord, one Hope, one Spirit etc. But it is a unity of variety and diversity. Christianity is composed of saints from different backgrounds, different personalities, different temperaments, different non-essential convictions etc.


It is good that we should seek a common ground between us, wherein we can foster fellowship and harmony with each other. Like the apostle Paul he was a Jew by birth but in order that his readers can relate and identify with him he used his Roman name not his Jewish name. We may have a lot of differences but we also have a lot of similarities between us that could be tapped so that we all could relate and identify with one to another.


Moving on…………


After the apostle identified himself as Paul, he then goes to describe his affiliation with the Lord Jesus Christ. He described himself as a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ, verse 1:

Ro 1:1> “ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,”


Way back during the time of the apostles in the first century, the practice of having slaves was common and prevalent. It was estimated that during this time there were millions upon millions of slaves scattered all over the Roman Empire. It was not an illegal practice in the Roman Empire; in fact it was considered normal and a part of daily life to have slaves. In the Roman Empire slaves were not considered persons but as chattel properties wholly owned by someone.


They have no right to manage their lives but their owners have. A slave is not a free person; he is bankrupt of any rights whatsoever. There is a vast difference between our present day household helpers from 1st century slaves. Our household helpers in our modern day are considered persons and are to be treated as such. In the first century, a worker is not necessarily a slave but a slave is a worker, working for his master. Our present day household helpers are not slaves, they are hired workers. They have rights and we are to recognize, honor and respect their rights befitting a human being. But slaves in the 1st century were considered as properties and not a person with rights.


When the apostle Paul wrote that he is a “bondservant of Jesus Christ”, he used the word “doulos” in the original Greek. It is a term familiar to his first century readers to mean a slave, since slavery is a common practice in the first century as I’ve shown you earlier.

When Paul said that he is a “bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ”……

I. He is saying here that he is the property of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus bought him from the slave market of sin.

II. That the Lord Jesus Christ has all the rights to manage his life.

III. He is saying that the Lord Jesus Christ is his owner, his Master. Whatever his Master wants he does. He does not expect to be paid. Masters of slaves don’t pay their slaves, but if ever His Master gives him something of boon and benison to him, it is to be considered a reward not a pay for the slave’s services.


It is certainly true that there were many slaves who were grudging, resentful and unwilling servants of their masters in the first century because many masters were mean, unloving, selfish and hard taskmasters. But not so with Paul, when he said that he is a “bondservant” or a slave “of the Lord Jesus Christ” he said that without resentment for Paul was a willing servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why?


Because the Lord Jesus Christ was not only his Master, He was also his Friend, his Brother, his God and his Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ first became a servant for him by giving His life for the apostle Paul to save him from his sins. The Lord bought Paul not with silver and gold but with the Lord’s precious blood shed on the cross. His Master really, really loved him. His Master served him first. We love Him because He first loved us, we bless Him because He first blessed us and we serve Him because He first served us. Unlike first century masters, the Lord Jesus Christ treated him as a person. He died for him. Slaves can be had for a certain sum of money. It was degrading. A human life was only worth so much monetarily speaking way back then. But the Lord bought us with an infinitely higher price; He gave His life as a ransom; His life for our slavery to sin. And that’s the reason why Paul was a willing slave of the Lord Jesus Christ.


Paul was not doing lip service when he wrote that he is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, he was truly a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ by heart and by life. He was no hypocrite. When he said that he was a “bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ” he said that because he was really serving the Lord Jesus Christ. His life and profession were congruent.

Application:


Let’s ask ourselves these questions: is Jesus Christ really the Lord of my life? Can I really say with Paul that Jesus is my Master and I am his slave? Does my life agree with my profession? Am I having sin as my Master and not the Lord Jesus Christ?

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

20 [B]For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.


Moving on……..

After Paul introduced himself, after he stated his affiliation with the Lord Jesus Christ as His slave, Paul then states his particular calling as a slave: he is an apostle. Verse 1


Ro 1:1> “ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called [I]to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,”


The word “apostle” means “one sent forth”. Paul is saying here that he is one sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the His death and resurrection. To be an apostle one must possess the following qualifications:

a) he must be called by the Lord to be one. He must be chosen and appointed by God as such (Acts 9:15, (Acts 9:6,).

b) He must have actually seen the Lord in His resurrection body (I Cor 9:1–2).

c) He must have power to perform miracles 2 Cor. 12:11-13.

There are no apostles today, for anyone to claim himself an apostle he must qualify these requirements. Paul then goes on to describe himself as a “called” apostle. It was not Paul’s idea or decision to be an apostle, it was the Lord Jesus Christ who appointed him as an apostle. See Acts 26:9-18.


Application:

Paul was sure of his calling that’s why he was effective in his ministry. We Christians have a particular calling from God, we may not be called to be apostles in the sense that Paul was called but we are called to do ministry or ministries depending on the gifts God has given us. We are sent forth by our Master to be witnesses of His salvation. Let us determine which ministry or ministries we are called and be an effective servant of the Lord.


Lastly, Paul stated his life-work: he was separated to preach the gospel:


Ro 1:1> “ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,” (Acts 9:15; 13:2)




Paul here says that he was one separated to preach the gospel or the good news of God about His salvation in Christ.

Application:


We Christians have been separated from the world to witness for the good news of Christ’s salvation. We too have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ, called to be witnesses of His by life and lip.

[may_abe]

Born again po ba tawag sa inyo? Thank's for for sharing..:)

[Stacie Fil]

I would like to share to Christians here my personal notes of a Bible study conducted here in Cebu with fellow church members whom i served. We did a verse by verse expository Bible study on Romans every Saturday night. Though the notes are quite raw and crude with regards to structure, style and grammar [i did not took time to refine and edit it], i hope God will use it to the blessing of your soul. Every week a verse will be posted by yours truly.


[The verses are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise indicated].




Romans: An Expository verse by verse Bible study


Ro 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God


Here in verse 1 we have a) the name of the sender b) his affiliation c) his calling and d) his life-work


It was customary thing to do in the first century [especially in Greek and Latin letters] for a letter sender to place his name at the outset of the letter introducing himself in contrast to our present practice of writing the sender’s name at the end. So here in the beginning of the letter to the Romans Paul introduced himself.


Ro 1:1> “ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,”


The sender introduced himself as Paul. The apostle actually had two names; one Jewish the other Roman. His Jewish name is Saul while His Roman name is Paul.

Paul means “Little”. If you get a concordance and look for the name Paul, you will easily notice that the very first time this name is cited in the Bible is in Acts 13:9. The context of this verse is about Paul’s first missionary journey to the Gentiles.

...



Application:


A great lesson can be gleaned from this. The Church of God is an organism of unity. We have one faith, one Lord, one Hope, one Spirit etc. But it is a unity of variety and diversity. Christianity is composed of saints from different backgrounds, different personalities, different temperaments, different non-essential convictions etc.


It is good that we should seek a common ground between us, wherein we can foster fellowship and harmony with each other. Like the apostle Paul he was a Jew by birth but in order that his readers can relate and identify with him he used his Roman name not his Jewish name. We may have a lot of differences but we also have a lot of similarities between us that could be tapped so that we all could relate and identify with one to another.


Moving on…………







Application:


We Christians have been separated from the world to witness for the good news of Christ’s salvation. We too have been purchased by the precious blood of Christ, called to be witnesses of His by life and lip.




Bit interesting, but are you really sure in that part I highlighted above?

If not , perhaps this can help;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarsus_%28city%29


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_of_Tarsus



Have a nice day !

[Ironside]

i dont really know what point your trying to drive at. With the two addresses you gave me
, seems to me [you can correct me if I am wrong] you are asking me if Paul was really a Jew by birth? Is that it my friend?


If that is what your asking, then we dont need to go to wike about it. Let's just let the aposlte Paul speak for himself concerning that:


The apostle Paul:

Php 3:5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;


One can still be a Jew [a pure one at that] even if he is not born in Israel. What matters is his lineage. Paul was a Jew by virtue of him being born to Jewish parentage [the expression: "A HEBREW OF HEBREWS" would make that all clear]. I heard that Wikepedia is not 100% reliable all the time. So inorder to be precise, why not go to the Bible directly about the aposlte Paul right?

[Ironside]

Born again po ba tawag sa inyo? Thank's for for sharing..:)


hello there my friend :)


ah....actually, all christians are born again biblically speaking. If you are asking if I belong to a group called "born again"....ah no my friend. I dont belong to such an organization.



.

[la_tina512]

hello there my friend :)
ah....actually, all christians are born again biblically speaking. If you are asking if I belong to a group called "born again"....ah no my friend. I dont belong to such an organization.

Being born again is not an organization. I was wrong in assuming you are one. The Catholics call themselves christians and yet they are not born again. Your statement that all christians are born again biblically is misleading. What about those who call themselves christians and are not born again yet?

[adechan]

oppsss:coffee: midnight coffee muna tayo dyan mga kapatid
kung nag-kakape kayo
me pure water na lang

:bonk::bonk:gomenasa i OT po ako OT po

:grouphug: group hugs muna po tayo

[Ironside]

Being born again is not an organization. I was wrong in assuming you are one. The Catholics call themselves christians and yet they are not born again. Your statement that all christians are born again biblically is misleading. What about those who call themselves christians and are not born again yet?



1) It is true that being born again is not an organization. Being born again is an experience. The Lord Jesus when He told Nicodemus that he must be born again did not mean that Nicodemus must join an organization that calls themselves by that designation.


I never said in my post above that being born again is to be a member of an organization.


2) I am born again by virtue of the fact of me trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
It does not mean however that when a person says: "I am a Christian" that he is then a genuine Christian. Professing Christ is one thing while Possessing Christ is another. Not all who profess Christ possess Christ.


One can profess to be a Christian without being truly a genuine one in the biblical sense. There are many who call themselves Christians that are not genuine ones. There are many who are members of BORN AGAIN organizations that have not experienced being born again by trusting in Christ for salvation.



3) I WOULD ASSERT AGAIN HERE THAT ALL CHRISTIANS IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE are born again. Being a Christian is being born again and being born again is being a Christian. You can NEVER find in the Bible two classes of Christians: a) non born again ones and b) born again ones.



That having said, may i request my friend to read my post again:


hello there my friend :)
ah....actually, all christians are born again biblically speaking. If you are asking if I belong to a group called "born again"....ah no my friend. I dont belong to such an organization.


"ah....actually, all christians are born again biblically speaking".----isn't it true my friend that all Christians BIBLICALLY speaking are born again ones? In the Bible we can never find, non born again people called Christians right? In the Bible, only born again ones were called by the name "Christian".


Does that mean then that all who say that they are "Christian" are born again? No. that is not my point. There are folks that are decieved into thinking that they are Christians, that they are born again but that does not change the fact that IN THE BIBLE, ALL CHRISTIANS ARE BORN AGAIN.



If you are asking if I belong to a group called "born again"-----There are groups who call themselves born again right?


ah no my friend. I dont belong to such an organization-----the fellowship i am attending, organizationally does not call themselves "born again". The name of their fellowship is El International Church.




thank you

[may_abe]

hello there my friend :)


ah....actually, all christians are born again biblically speaking. If you are asking if I belong to a group called "born again"....ah no my friend. I dont belong to such an organization.



.

Hello,

I am sorry for my impolite question. i'm christian..but I think my faith is not enough..so I try to listen and read all threads about religions and inspiration.Somehow, it helps me sometimes. Coz I am bad bad person..I believe in witch craft and everything despite I am christian. I should throw such evil on my mind. I am open minded..sometimes very rude.

Sorry Tf family...

[Ironside]

no need to apologize my friend. I did not find your question impolite at all. :)

[adechan]

Hello,

I am sorry for my impolite question. i'm christian..but I think my faith is not enough..so I try to listen and read all threads about religions and inspiration.Somehow, it helps me sometimes. Coz I am bad bad person..I believe in witch craft and everything despite I am christian. I should throw such evil on my mind. I am open minded..sometimes very rude.

Sorry Tf family...

hope you find the spiritual contentment you're looking for. You really cannot believe on witchcraft then be a Christian.
The reality of witchcraft is a very serious matter. And this is one of the sins that God hated so much and is written so many times in the Bible.

Peace be with you @may_abe :)

**************
And I am really led to post this prayer against witchcraft >>> pero magiging OT na talaga here is my prayer "spiritual warfare" (http://www.timog.com/forum/showpost.php?p=35092 3&postcount=10)

[Ironside]

Ro 1:2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.




The Gospel that Paul preached

A. It was Biblical. It was based on the Old Testament Scriptures.

Ro 1:2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,


Exposition

“Holy Scriptures” here refer to the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul’s gospel was not something new or novel that he conjured up in a corner. It was promised by God in the Old Testament Scriptures. It was something that was verifiable. The Jews in Berea when they heard Paul preached the gospel opened their Old Testaments to find if what Paul was saying was true.


Ac 17:10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Ac 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.


Application: A gospel not found in the Scriptures is to be shunned.



B. The Gospel Paul preached was Christo-centric

Ro 1:3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,


Exposition


The Gospel Paul preached centers around the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “concerning” here means around. Imagine the apostle Paul lecturing to us here, he is facing us and as he said these words above, he circles the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in the center of the blackboard: “The Gospel is about God’s Son—the Lord Jesus Christ, what He did on the cross of Calvary for our sins and His subsequent resurrection three days after.”

Application:

A “gospel” message void of Christ, His death for our sins and resurrection is something to be eschewed or shunned.




The Christ of the Gospel that Paul preached

A. Paul preached a Christ that became a 100% human being.

Ro 1:3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,


Exposition

The Christ of the Gospel Paul preached was a descendant of David as to His humanity. He was “of the seed of David.” Many times in the Old Testament, we can read of the coming Messiah as a descendant of David. The words “according to the flesh” above just means “as to His humanity”. As to His humanity, Christ was a descendant of David.

Also, the words “according to the flesh” implies that the Christ Paul preached was someone who was not only human. The Christ Paul preached is not only Human but is also someone who is God as the next verse explicitly declares:


Ro 1:4 and declared to be the Son of Godwith power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Paul preached a Christ that is not only 100% Man but also a Christ that is 100% God.
There are four things we can glean from this verse:


First, this verse plainly declares the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The term “Son of God” speaks about His deity.

“Son of God” as used here is a unique term for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Unique Son of God. This relationship is peculiar and exclusive only to Christ and His Father. Christians are adopted sons of God but Christ is not. He is the Son of God from all eternity. He was never adopted.


This term speaks about His deity. You remember in John 5:17-18 and John 10:30-34 wherein the Lord Jesus declared to the Jews that God was His unique Father [implying that He was the unique Son of God]. The Jews understood it rightly that the Lord was declaring Himself to equal to God and that He was God Himself.

Second, that His deity was marked out with power.

Ro 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with poweraccording to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.


The word ‘declared’

The word “declared” comes from the word in the original that could also mean appoint, designate or mark out. The word in the original comes from the word “horizo”. Notice that the verse does not say that the Lord Jesus was “MADE the Son of God with power….”, it does say however that Christ was declared [or MARKED OUT] the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead.


John Darby has it translated: Ro 1:4 marked out Son of God in power, according to [the] Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of [the] dead) Jesus Christ our Lord; (DBY)


When you wake up on a clear morning, and as you lift your eyes, you can see the early sun “horizoned out” [or marked out] clearly by the early morning sky. The Lord Jesus was clearly horizoned out or marked out to be the Son of God with power.


Question: How was He marked out to be the Son of God with power? How was this power seen and expressed particularly? By the resurrection from the dead.

Ro 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.




C. The term “resurrection from the dead”


In the original, the word “dead” is in the plural. The verse actually reads “resurrection of dead PERSONS” in the original. This would refer to the dead persons whom the Lord raised after His resurrection [see Matt. 27:52-54]. However, undoubtedly, this also includes His resurrection, when He raised Himself from the grave. Romans 1:4 corresponds clearly with Matthew 27:52-54.


Question: According to whom was this all done? According to the Spirit of Holiness

Ro 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.


C. The term “according to the Spirit of holiness”

This term could refer to the human spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ characterized by holiness. However, this could also mean the Holy Spirit whom the Lord relied on for power to perform miracles. Personally, I believe this refers to the Holy Spirit.




Wrapping it up


The Lord Jesus’ own resurrection proved that He was indeed the Son of God and God the Son. After Thomas saw with his own eyes the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, he could not help but utter: “My Lord and My God!!!!” This was the Christ whom Paul preached: a Christ who is both 100% God and 100% Man at the same time.

Application

An acid test of anyone who proclaims to be a preacher of the Gospel:


Verse 2, 3 and 4 gives us an acid test of any true preacher of the Gospel. Test any man who comes to your house who calls himself a preacher of the Gospel with these truths.

Is the gospel he presents Biblical? Is it congruent with the Bible’s Gospel? That’s verse 2

Is the gospel he presents Christ-centered? Is it about the promised Messiah in the Old Testament who will die for our sins and resurrect again? That’s verse 3

Is it the Christ [who is God the Son] who became Man without relinquishing His deity? That’s verse 2b and 4

[Ironside]

Ro 1:5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,



Here we see the means of salvation and ministry:


"Through Him we have received grace and apostleship..."


Paul here states that the Lord Jesus is the means of grace [the undeserved favor of God to an unworthy sinner like Paul]. God is gracious, that is true. But the saving grace of God can only be THROUGH the Lord Jesus Christ.


Application


You want to avail of the saving grace of God? It is in Christ Jesus.



In this verse, we do not only have the Lord Jesus as the means of grace, we also have here stated that ministry is derived from the Lord Jesus Christ:


"Through Him we have received grace and apostleship..."


God does not save a sinner for nothing. Christians are saved to serve. Here the particular ministry that is stated by Paul is the ministry of being an apostle. An apostle means 'one that is sent to execute a commission'.

What was he sent for?


"Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,"


He was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ for obedience to the faith. What do we mean by 'obedience to the faith' here?


The term "obedience to the faith"


Notice that the word faith here is preceded by the definite article “the”. This then does not refer to the subjective faith Christians have in Christ. This does not refer to the faith Christians anchor on Christ for salvation. This faith is the body of truth that Christians believe in and the apostles are trying to spread all over the world.

When you read a book and find these words: “The Christian faith of the early believers”. The writer is not referring to the faith Christians have in their hearts towards the Savior. He is referring to the body of truth that Christians believe in. Based on the context, “ the faith” in this verse is the body of truth about Christ. This is the gospel itself.


So "obedience to the faith" means just this:


Every time sinners hear the truth of the Gospel, that the Lord Jesus Christ died for their sins and was resurrected again, tagged behind this message is the call to repentance and faith. Tagged behind the Gospel is the command to: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Refusing to repent and trust in Christ alone for salvation is disobedience to it. See 2 Thess. 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17.


The scope of his commission as an apostle:


Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,


Since Christ Jesus died for all, the scope of the apostle's commission is for all nations. God desires all men to be saved and so therefore He desires that all may know and hear about His salvation.


The ultimate purpose and goal for all of this is for His glory:


Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,


What do we mean by glory? Glory is the sum-total of who God is. His name speaks about who He is. The apostles are to do all this for God. That He may be acknowledge and recognized by all for who He is and therefore praise and worship Him.

Man was created to glorify God.

[Ironside]

Ro 1:6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ


After Paul stated the scope of his ministry ["all nations" see verse 5], he then proceeds to describe the saints in Rome who have responded to the Gospel call as "the called of Jesus Christ".


How does the Lord call one to Him? He calls by the Gospel


2Th 2:14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.



What was the Gospel that Paul preached? It is the message concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross of Calvary and that after three days came back to life again.[see 1 Cor. 15:1-4]



Everytime a non repentant sinner hears the words: "the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and that after three days He rose again" tagged with that message is the call to repentance and faith in Christ for salvation. The expression "the called of Jesus Christ" does not only denote an invitation by Christ. It expresses an invitation that was accepted. The Lord Jesus called, they came. They are the called of Jesus Christ..



How about you dear reader, have you heard the call? Have you heard the message: "the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our salvation? Have you heeded the call? Have you responded positively?

[Ironside]

Ro 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


In verse 1 of this chapter we had the name of the sender of this letter [Paul], now here in verse 7 we have the sendee [the recipient] of the letter and they are identified for us as the believers who are in Rome:


Ro 1:7 To all who are in Rome,


Of course the "all" up there does not mean every single person in Rome. Rome was a cosmopolitan city. People of different races, nations etc. found a home there. The Gospel was preached there. And where ever the Gospel is preached faithfully by the power of the Holy Spirit, it will bear fruit.


We know that the word "all" here is not to be taken in an absolute sense because of the proceeding clauses which only those who are saved in Christ are entitled to bear:

Ro 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:


We are given here two descriptions about the recipeints of the letter. First, the "ALL who are in Rome" here are described as beloved of God. The word "beloved" actually means dear. To all who are in Rome, DEAR to God.


What a privilege it is to be addressed as “Beloved of God”. All the world may hate but as long as I know that I am the apple of God’s eye, everything is perfectly okay. The adjective "beloved" was used of the Lord Jesus by God when He said: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased". How much does God love His people? He loves them as much as He loves His only begotten Son.


Believers are said to be IN Christ. And since they are IN Christ, believers enjoy and basked in the sunshine of God's love. A love that is ever shining towards His Son. Only those who are IN Christ enjoy this special kind of love [the love of a Father to the Son and those who are IN Christ Jesus]. Are you IN Christ dear reader? If not, you can by trusting in the Lord Jesus now alone for salvation.


God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die for their sins<----This is the love of God to His sinful creatures.


When one trusts in the Lord Jesus alone for salvation, he then becomes a member of the family of God. He has now God as his FATHER. The love which he experiences now is not only the love of God as Creator to His sinful creatures, more than that, he will now experience the love of God as a Father. There is a difference between God's love to an unsaved sinner and His love to a saved sinner. Only the latter will experience the love of God as a Father.


Secondly, the recipients of Paul’s letter are described as: “called to be saints”. Actually, the literal rendering of this verse is: “called saints”. The words “to be” are not in the original. They are saints by calling. What is a saint? Saint means separate. By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is now positionally separated from the world to Christ. And he is expected to walk worthy of his calling. Since he was positionally separated, then he must practically behave separately from the ways of the world. He was called to be separated from the world to Christ.


Notice also that to be a saint is not the will of any man upon us, but through the divine call of the Lord Jesus Christ.



Then after addressing the recipients of the letter, Paul in his customary way greets them:

To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


“Grace” here does not mean saving grace because the readers were already saved people. This grace refers to sanctifying, keeping, edifying and empowering grace that we so need daily.


“Peace” here does not refer to peace WITH God. For they already have it in Christ [see Romans 5:1]. Peace WITH God refers to our standing, it refers to our position. Peace OF God refers to our state, it is the peace that tranquilizes and soothes our hearts. You see, it is possible for one to be standing in a land of peace but the state of his heart is at turmoil. How we need this peace. The reason we cannot have peace without is because we do not have peace within. An angry remark, a sarcastic jab, a quick temper is often the result of a lack of peace within. Waves of anxiety and worry drown our hearts to frenzy. We need the peace that Paul is greeting us here.

[adechan]

amen ..

i want to add some explanation about Saints. Kase sa ating mga pilipino, pag masyado kang relihiyoso, minsan parang kantiyaw ang masabihan kang santo, santa, na ang akala talaga nang marami ang pagiging santo ay para lang sa mga hinirang nang Dios, na hindi pala, kundi ang lahat nang tumanggap kay Hesus. Though I know, hindi naman din lahat.

All Believers of Christ are Called to be Saints.
Believers have been set apart from sin and the world, brought near to God and consecrated for service. With this action of consecration, the Spirit renews the characters of believers in true holiness.

[alexb]

Ito ang kelangan natin, ang mag-aral ng salita ng tunay na Dios ng hindi tayo mapahamak.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...-Hosea 4:6

[Ironside]

Sorry double post

[Ironside]

edits are being made

[Ironside]

After the greeting and salutations in verses 1 to 7, Paul then follows with a A) thanksgicinfving for their faith [8-9] and B) then expresses his desire to visit them [10-15].




Ro 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.




We have here [verse 8 to verse 15] the preface of the book. The word “First” here does not denote importance, as if Paul was prioritizing. This word has the idea of “before anything else”. Paul was saying: “Before anything else, before I go to the meat and potatoes of this letter, I thank God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”


How do we know that this is the meaning of the word "first"? All one has to do is just read through the book of Romans and he will find out for himself that there is no "secondly", "thirdly", "fourthly" etc. in the entire book to indicate that Paul was prioritizing.


We see here in this verse Paul's thanksgiving:


Ro 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ


In the New Testament, if prayer is directed to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we see here also that thanksgiving is directed to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. What is it to thank God THROUGH the Lord Jesus Christ?


All Christians are priests [1 Peter 2:9] with the Lord Jesus Christ as their High Priest. And since priests, there must be an offering, a sacrifice. What are some of the sacrifices that a Christian can offer to God?



First, there is the sacrifice of himself to God. [Rom. 12:1]
Second, there is the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God [Heb. 13:15].
Third, there is the sacrifice of doing good works [Heb. 13:16]



Now, these sacrifices do not go to God directly. These sacrifices, before they reach the Father, pass through our High Priest first, the Lord Jesus Christ. He takes away all the impurities and imperfections of our sacrifices, attaches His own moral excellence and worth to it and then offers it up to the Father. The thanksgiving-through-Jesus-Christ here in our verse [Romans 1:8] refers to the second kind of sacrifice listed above.



Heb 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.



The word “by” here is the word “dia” in Greek. This is also the same Greek word used in our verse [Romans 1:8]. “By” or “Through” Jesus Christ we offer the spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving to God.



Principles that we can glean from this: a) True thanksgiving to God can only be done through the Lord Jesus Christ. b) therefore only those who have a High Priest in heaven can thank God truthfully and genuinely c) every time a Christian gives thanksgiving to God, he or she is offering sacrifice to God.



How do you know if you have a High Priest in heaven? If you are one who has realized that you are a sinner that cannot saved yourself and have therefore trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, then know that you have a High Priest in heaven.


Application:

If you are a Christian, if you are one who has trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, have you offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God today? Have you brought your offerings to God by giving Him thanks in everything today?



The subject of Paul's thanksgiving:


Ro 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all....


We see here Paul's others-centeredness. It is understandable to see one thanking God for the benefits that he recieved from God for himself, but it takes others-centeredness to thank God from the heart upon seeing the welfare of others.


Application

When was the last time we thank God from the heart because we saw our brethren being blessed? Or was there even a first?



The reason for Paul's thanksgiving:


Ro 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

What does ‘your faith’ mean here? ‘Faith’ here means their trust in Christ as Savior.


What does ‘whole world’ mean here? ‘Whole world’ here means the whole known world at that time. It means the whole Roman empire. Everywhere in the Roman empire, their faith in Christ was known. They were famous for their faith in Christ.


Application


Let’s asked ourselves: Are we one who is famous for faith in Christ? Do our neighbors or officemates even know that we are Christians by the kind of life we live?


How will the world know that we are Christ’s disciples?

Joh 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."


Faith is invisible. No one [except God] can see faith in the heart of the Christian. Our faith in Christ is seen by our acts of love we do one to another.

Ga 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

[Ironside]

double post

[Ironside]

[NOTE: Some of the ideas here presented are adapted from a study of Romans done by a Bible teacher in the U.S. Credit is due him.]



Ro 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Ro 1:10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

Ro 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;

Ro 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.


Verse 8 gives us Paul’s thanksgiving. Here, these verses give us Paul’s prayer.

Paul’s specific request:

Ro 1:10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.


The word “prosperous” here just means successful. Paul’s specific prayer was that he might go to Rome successfully. He specifically prayed for a successful journey to Rome through God’s will.

Application

Prayer must be specific and it must be according to God’s will.


Paul’s prayer was importunate:


Ro 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;


Paul’s prayer was incessant. He always prayed. What Matthew 6:7 forbids is not repetitions per se. What it forbids actually concerns VAIN repetitions [not all repetitions are vain—prayed in a meaningless jumble and babble of words not coming from the heart, designed to impress onlookers]. The Lord Jesus prayed three times [Matt. 26:44] but in no way was it vain. A genuine desire in the heart often causes one to pray to God importunately. What we pray often indicates what our hearts desire most.

Application


Pray always without ceasing, much more if you are sure that what you’re praying is God’s will as revealed in His Word.


Paul’s prayer involved others


Ro 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;


The word “you” here is in the plural. He always prayed for the Romans Brethren EVEN THOUGH he did not know most of them personally.

Application

Do we include other people [especially our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith] in our prayers even if we don’t know them personally?


Paul’s prayer was done with the motive to edify fellow believers:

Ro 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;


Paul desired and prayed to go to Rome so that he might edify fellow believers in Christ there and that through his ministry there might be the salvation of the lost [verse 13] there who are in Rome also. It was not done with selfish motives.

The “spiritual gift” referred here is Paul’s spiritual gift of teaching the Word of God for edifying or establishing in the faith fellow Christians. He desires to go to Rome and exercise his spiritual gift.

Application

If you are one who has trusted in Christ alone for salvation, you too have a spiritual gift/s, a special God-given ability that can be used to edify fellow believers and even saved through your witnessing those who are lost in the world.


Paul’s prayer that he might have a prosperous journey to Rome was also for mutual edification:

Ro 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.


We see Paul’s humility here. Consider: he was an apostle, one of the writers of Scriptures, yet he was humble enough to admit that fellow believers [not apostles like he was] can encourage him. He needs their fellowship and desires it. No matter how spiritually mature a Christian might be, he still needs the encouragement of fellow Christians.







If you are one who has not trusted in Christ Jesus alone for salvation, then know that genuine prayer can only be through the Lord Jesus Christ. You need a Mediator between you and God. And that Mediator of course is NO OTHER THAN the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. What must one do inorder for one to have Christ Jesus as Mediator? He must repent and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

[Ironside]

Ro 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.


Here we see Paul's other reason for intending to go to Rome. In verse 12 his reason was edificatory. He planned and prayed to go to Rome to edify [establish] fellow believers. Here in verse 13, his reason is evangelistic:------



Ro 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.



The word "fruit" here refers to unbelievers who would be saved by his preaching of the Gospel there in Rome just as he successfully preached the Gospel amongst the non-Jews in other places.


Notice also that the apostle Paul experienced what we all experienced as believers:-----


Ro 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.



Have you experienced delays in the realization of your plans, even though you know that your plans are within the confines of God's will? Well, Paul experienced such delays and frustrations of his plans too.



It might be that Satan was hindering them from fulfilling their good purpose in going to Rome for we know that when we the servants of God are active in the work and service of the Lord, Satan works double time to frustrate our plans:



1Th 2:18 Therefore we wanted to come to you--even I, Paul, time and again but Satan hindered us.



However, the word "hindered" could also be legitimately translated as "forbid". In this case, Paul was saying:---- "that I often planned to come to you (but was FORBIDDEN until now)"



He was forbidden and Paul complied. Who forbade him that he complied? The only person who could command Paul's obedience, the Lord Himself. Though are plans are within the will of God, the time in which we want them done and fulfilled are oftentimes not according to God's time table. God is not only concerned about the "what", He is also considered about the "when" of our plans. Read the verse below:


Ac 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.



The Lord commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature. And yet here He through His Holy Spirit forbade Paul to preach the word in Asia. Why is this? It was not at that time in sync with God's time table. Later they went there and preached the Gospel successfully.



What would you do if you experience delays in your plans [plans that are in line with God's will]?



Ro 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.


Let your brethren know about it. Enlist their support. They could pray about it you know:


Mt 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

[Ironside]

Ro 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.
Ro 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.



Here we see Paul’s intense sense of obligation to preach the Gospel to all people. No matter what degree of learning they may have earned, they all need the Gospel. You can just feel his strong sense of burden and onus to preach the Gospel by the words:


Ro 1:14 “I am a debtor …………………….”


He felt the Lord’s command to preach the Gospel of salvation too strongly that he was able declare: I am a “DEBTOR”. He feels that he owes everyone the Gospel of salvation. And that is why he must preach the Gospel to all.



Application


How many of us who have known the saving grace of God feel a strong sense of burden and obligation to witness and share the salvation of Christ to others like Paul? [What an active witness we would be!!!!]


This sense of obligation is directed towards all people of all degrees of learning:


Ro 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians……………….


Who were the Greeks and the barbarians? In the proceeding words, Paul explains who these guys were. Paul was referring to the same people in mind when he continues:


Ro 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.



People who know how to speak the Greek language considered the erudite, refined, educated and cultured people of the Roman Empire, while the barbarians [those who don’t know how to speak Greek] were considered the crude, uneducated and uncultured people of the empire.



Application


Some say that education is the panacea [cure all] of all the social and moral ills that is rampant everywhere today. But not with Paul. To him, it is the Gospel of Christ which is the cure of all these. All people whether---the professor in the University or the lowly troubadour in the street---need Christ.



Possessing such awareness [that all people-educated or not need the salvation of Christ] Paul says:


Ro 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.



Rome means power and might. It was the capital of the world at that time. The brilliant, the intelligent, the eggheads, the learned, erudite and the pundits were there. But since Paul knew that they all need the salvation of Christ, Paul, as far as he is concerned, on his part, he was ready to go there and preach Christ.

[Ironside]

Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."




We now go to the theme of the book of Romans. Verses 16 and 17 are the key verses to the book. Take these verses with you and try it on the door knob of the book of Romans and you unlock the book [of course with the illumination of the Holy Spirit]. The Main idea of verse 16 and 17 is as follows:



Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,

Why? Why are you not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Paul?

for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Why is the Gospel the power of God to salvation Paul?

Ro 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."


Verse 16

Paul’s bold and confident declaration of the Gospel:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.………” Romans 1:16

What is the Gospel?

The Gospel is nothing less than the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the cross of Calvary. There He died for our sins and resurrected for our salvation.


What made Paul say these words? What prompted him to write these words? What was the background in which Paul wrote these words?



The Background

Ro 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. Ro 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.



Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles. He was commissioned to preach the gospel to them. What section of the Gentile world? All of them whether sophisticated, educated and cultured Gentiles or uneducated and crude Gentiles, both the wise and the unwise, in other words.



Now, the apostle is setting his sights on Rome. Rome the seat of power and might [Rome in Latin means power and might], the capital of the whole world at that time. Home of the wise, the philosophical and intelligent minds of the empire.



These Greek-speaking eggheads [intellectuals] may consider themselves too wise and too sophisticated to hear of some man who died on a criminal’s cross and then resurrected scorning: “What!!!!??? Your telling me Paul that a man who died on a felon’s cross can save me?!!!? And that this certain Jesus of yours resurrected from the dead?!!? What foolishness!!!!!!... Hello!!!!!! Paul what happened to the thing between your ears?...Are you okay Paul?”


You see, in Paul’s ministry as a preacher of the gospel, he meet not only persecutions and atrocities from unbelieving men. He also encountered ridicule, scorn and mockery because of his message about the death and resurrection of Christ. [see Acts 17:32, Acts 26:23-26, 1 Cor. 1:18-23] But Paul was undaunted, he knew what he was saying, he knew that it was the truth, he was confident of his message and therefore Paul wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,…….”


Application

How about you dear reader? Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Are you one witnessing for Christ by life and lip in your workplace? In school?

How about your life? Is it worthy of the Gospel of Christ? When they see you, can they see Christ? Is your life one that is a shame to the Gospel? There are people who are ashamed of the Gospel while there are also people who are a shame to the Gospel.




Paul’s reason for being bold and confident about the Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation………” Romans 1:16




Based on the verse above, why was Paul so confident of the Gospel? Why was he not ashamed of it? Because the Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation, that’s why.

Application

We see here that education, right breeding and culture is not the solution to the problem of sin. Paul knew that none of these can solve the disease in man called sin. He knew that only the gospel of Christ alone can cure this sin-sick world of ours. He knew he had something that these Roman intellectuals needed---Christ. There are people who seem to paint the picture that education and right breeding and culture is the panacea [cure all] of the moral ills of man. But nothing is further from the truth; a sinner is still a sinner no matter what context you may put him. Immerse a sinner in education and the philosophies of the world and still you get a sinner, an educated sinner. Submerge him in the waters of religion and you still get a sinner, a religious sinner. Pour him into the mold of culture and right breeding and still you get a sinner, a cultured and a well-bred sinner. All these things may REFORM a sinner but none of these can TRANSFORM him. Only the gospel of Christ can do that.

Reformation is something that happens on the outside while transformation is something that happens from within.


The word “power”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation………” Romans 1:16


What does power mean here? Let’s make a word study of the word “power” here in this verse. In doing word studies, we trace the word through the Bible and observe and mark how the word is used, to get the meaning. Of course we don’t have enough time to look into the New Testament regarding every occurrence of this word. We will look into some verses, however, that could give us some insights regarding this word.

The word “power” here comes from the Greek word “dunamis”. This word occurs about 118 times in the New Testament. Let’s look at some of its usage in the Gospels and get some important implications about the meaning of this word:


Mr 9:39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle [dunamis] in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. (NKJV)

Lu 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power [dunamis] of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (NKJV)


Lu 5:17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power [dunamis] of the Lord was present to heal them. (NKJV)


The common denominator of the above situations wherein the word ‘power’ or ‘dunamis’ is used is one in the context of miracles. So the word ‘power’ has with it the idea of supernatural, miraculous power. Of course, our study was brief and not extensive, we may expect many other shades of meaning if we study this word thoroughly in the New Testament. However, let it suffice based on our study that the word “power” has with it the idea of supernatural and miraculous power.


Application

It takes supernatural and miraculous power to be saved. Our sins are indelibly attached to us that only the supernatural and miraculous power of God in the Gospel can remove it. That is why our good works, our religious works, education and right breeding etc. can never save us for these are void of supernatural and miraculous power to blot out our sins and transform us.





The word “salvation”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation………” Romans 1:16



When we speak of spiritual salvation, what is it?

Salvation comprised three: a) salvation from the PENALTY OF SIN b) salvation from the POWER OF SIN and c) salvation from the PRESENCE OF SIN.

Salvation from the penalty of sin: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” [Ro 8:1]

Salvation from the power of sin: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” [Ro 6:14]

Salvation from the presence of sin: “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Php 3:21





Those who will be saved by the Gospel

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes Ro 1:16


Who will be saved? Everyone who believes. Christ died for all but His death is only efficient to those who believe.


What does the word ‘believe’ mean here?

The word “believe”

The word ”believe” here actually means to trust, to rely. This is not just a mental assent to facts. This involves the mind and the will. This is commitment of one’s salvation to what Christ has done in Calvary. Faith is taking God at His Word. God says: “Christ Jesus died for our sins and resurrected again for our salvation”. Faith is just being completely satisfied with that, being completely satisfied with what Christ has done for us on the cross for our salvation.



The Chronology of the Proclamation of the Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16


The term “for the Jew first and also for the Greek” does not denote priority, but chronology---the sequence as to whom the Gospel should be preached. The Gospel is for all people. But first it should be preached first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles. Why to the Jew first?


1) Salvation is of the Jews ["You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.” Joh 4:22] Therefore they must first here it. Salvation comes from Jewish people since the Messiah would be of Jewish descent.


2) Our Bibles came from Jewish writers. {there is a debate about Luke—whether he was a Jew or a Gentile} Wouldn’t it be right that the race who gave us the Scriptures should be the first to hear about the Savior to whom there writers wrote about?


If you read the book of Acts you will find that from chapters 1-10 the apostles preached the Gospel to the Jews, then in chapters 11-28, the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles [non-Jews], then from the first century during the time of Paul up to now the Gospel has been preached to the Gentiles. In fact, we have been studying about the Gospel right now.



Application


To anyone here who has been entertaining about the idea that God will not forgive him or her because of the enormity of his or her sin, let me tell you dear friend that God is gracious. The Jews who crucified the Savior, the Jews who mocked Him and ridiculed Him, the Jews who rejected Him was the first one to hear about the Good News of forgiveness and salvation that if they trust in Christ you will be saved and forgiven.



The only sin that God cannot forgive is the FINAL REJECTION of His offer of forgiveness and salvation. If you feel the tugging inside your heart that you should come to Christ……..come to Christ now……..don’t resist the Holy Spirit. Do not sin against the Holy Spirit. Come to Christ and find forgiveness and salvation. If the Jews who crucified Christ found salvation [Acts 2: 22-41] when they turned to Him, certainly God can forgive you.

[Ironside]

The righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17

This verse is the answer to the question: “Why is the Gospel the power of God to salvation?” The answer: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed….” This is the verse God used to save Martin Luther. Luther was troubled for days as to the meaning of the term “the righteousness of God” until the Holy Spirit illumined him and he got saved.

1) Based on Romans 3:21-22 and Phil. 3:9, what does the term “righteousness of God” mean? Does it refer to the character of God being righteous? Does it refer to the righteousness we give to God by obeying the 10 Commandments? Or does it mean the perfect righteousness God gives to us, imputes to us through the work of His Son on the cross by faith?




I think it was Luther who called this as “ALIEN RIGHTEOUSNESS”, that is, a righteousness outside ourselves. A righteousness God deposits to our bankrupt moral account through the work of Christ on the cross. We don’t have righteousness of our own that could measure up to God’s standards, our righteousness are but filthy rags. God will not accept them, but out of His grace and mercy, He provided sinners perfect righteousness which He imputes to all those who trust in Christ alone for salvation.


“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17

The term “from faith to faith”

This term means faith from start to finish. Christians enter salvation land by faith in Christ, and he walks in victory over the power of sin in salvation land by faith in Christ. At the point of entry he became saved from the PENALTY OF SIN because he is now IN CHRIST.



However, in dealing with the POWER OF SIN, how do we overcome it? Do we overcome it by doing our best to fight it? Mustering all the spiritual and moral strength we have to slay and have ascendancy over sin in our lives? No, Romans 7:14-25 is a picture of a man who has been there and done that and failed every time.



The secret in overcoming the power of sin is the INDWELLING CHRIST—CHRIST IN the Christian. The Christian will no longer be condemned because he is now IN CHRIST, the Christian can then now have dominion over the power of sin because CHRIST is now IN HIM. The Christ in the Christian through the Holy Spirit can overcome any sin that besets a Christian. And when the Christian lets Christ lives His life in him, practical righteousness is the result. What a Christian must do is rely on the indwelling Christ by faith:



Ga 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.


I became justified [declared perfectly righteous by God] by faith and I will be sanctified [made righteous by God] by faith and I will be glorified [will become completely and perfectly righteous as to actual condition] because of my faith in Christ. It’s by faith from start to finish as it is written in the Bible, "The just shall live by faith." I am justified by faith in Christ and me [the justified one] shall live by faith in Christ.



Note: there is a mountain of difference between Law and Grace. Law DEMANDS PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM SINFUL HELPLESS SINNERS while Grace PROVIDES PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE.

[Ironside]

deleted

[Ironside]

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,


Here we are given the reason as to why we need the righteousness of God in the Gospel.


This verse is the answer to the question: “Why does man need the righteousness of God in the Gospel in verses 16 and 17? The answer: We need the Good News because of the bad news of God’s wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.



What do we mean by “the wrath of God” here in this verse? Can we picture God here as one who has lost His temper? Is the wrath of God temperamental?

The wrath of God is not the result of a long pent up emotion that God cannot anymore contain, as if He has lost control of His temper. It is not temperamental at all. It is what happens when sin meets the holiness of God, it grinds sin to powder, so to speak. There is a difference between the wrath of God and the wrath of man. The wrath of man is sinful and temperamental. It is void of self control and irrational but the wrath of God is a settled and steady attitude against sin [and unrepentant sinners] expressed in the punishment He metes out against them. It is one coming from His holy nature. No trace or vestige of sin can be found in it.



Application:

Not all anger is sin. There are times when a Christian must feel holy anger. He must feel anger if God's name is reviled and blasphemed. There is something terribly wrong with our our love for God if we are not greatly affected if God's honor, integrity and name is blasphemed and insulted. The Lord Jesus felt holy anger when God's house was turned into a market place.


The period in which His wrath is revealed [verse 18]


Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed

Is this a wrath that is still future? Or is this a wrath that is presently being experienced by unrepentant men and women?

Notice the words “is revealed.” It is in the present tense. It is an on going uncovering or revelation of God’s wrath. There is a wrath that is still future [the Great Tribulation and the lake of fire], but there is also a wrath being revealed that is on going, even as we speak.

How is this wrath expressed?

Romans 1:24, 26. 28. When God punishes unrepentant man for his sin, He does not always send fire and brimstone from on high, He does not have to submerge the whole earth in a great Flood, He does not have to send famine, calamity and suffering to man. What He does is just leave man in his sinfulness and depravity. When that happens, when restraint is taken out of the way, the result is gross wickedness amongst them. They kill each other, they commit immorality amongst each other, they hurt each other etc. The net result: They experience suffering, misery and pain.


Application

God’s longsuffering or patience has a limit. We all know that the Devil is a liar. He makes truth look like falsehood and makes falsehood appear like the truth. He loves to paint himself in the minds of people like he is some long-tailed, ruddy creature with horns bearing a trident. When the truth of the matter is that he is a creature of beauty. Or he makes you believe that he doesn’t exist. He majors in deceit and lies-about himself, about ourselves and about God. And one of his squid tactics is to disseminate falsehood about God. He fogs your mind so that you cannot see the truth of God for who and what He really is.

God as manifested in the Bible is a God of truth, mercy, love, grace, holiness, longsuffering and many other attributes. Do you know which of these attributes he [Satan] loves to emphasize more in the minds of people? Love. God is a God of love. How true. God is indeed a God of love. But what’s amiss with this portrayal is that it only stresses one attribute of God to the point that people abuse Him. What we fail to see by this smokescreen of Satan is that God is also a God of WRATH. Holy and righteous wrath upon sin and evil.

Ro 11:22 ‘Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God…….’

What are we commanded to consider in this verse? 1) the goodness of God and 2) the severity of God. The Sin within you and Satan makes you focus on the former to the exclusion of the latter. But nothing is further from the truth. God is also a God of wrath. His patience is long but His justice puts a limit to it when you stubbornly rebel.

The cross portrays for us this couplet of God’s attributes. In Calvary we see God’s goodness and severity. Goodness- He loved us so much that He sent His Son to the cross to die for sinners. Severity-God does not excuse sin. He hates it completely. Sin must have its due penalty. He sent His Son Jesus Christ on the cross for it.

One man said: “If God did not spare His Son to die a horrible death on the cross, what made you think he will spare you [you who are unrepentant].”




The source of the divine wrath [verse 18]


From where is the wrath of God revealed?

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven


The expression “from heaven” in the statement “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven” what do we mean by it?

The expression is an idiomatic expression that means coming from God’s throne. This wrath then is experienced everywhere under heaven, hence, everywhere on earth.



The objects of God’s wrath [verse 18]


To what is the wrath of God revealed against?

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,


This wrath is directed against two things: a) against all ungodliness and b) unrighteousness of men. What is ungodliness? What is unrighteousness? What is the difference between the two? Ungodliness is vertical. These are sins committed directly against God while unrighteousness is horizontal. These are sins we do against our fellow man . To a Jew, under the administration of the Law in the previous dispensation, he commits ungodliness if he disobeys the first four of the 10 Commandments, he commits unrighteousness, if he disobeys the last six.


The description of the ungodly and unrighteous men

How did God through Paul describe those men who are ungodly and unrighteous?

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness andunrighteousness of men[U], who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,


Notice here that these men are described as truth suppressors. In order for you to suppress something, you must first be aware of its presence or existence. You cannot hold down something if you are not first aware of it.

What does the word “suppress” mean? The word “suppress” means hold down.

What do they hold down? They hold down the truth.

The truth about what? Verse 19-20 The truth about God—His existence, His Godhead and eternal power.

How do they suppress or hold down the truth about God? Verse 18 They do it by unrighteousness, that is by unrighteous living.



Application


Before a man is unrighteous, he is first ungodly. The reason why man is unrighteous in his dealings with his fellowman is because he has rejected God first. Notice the order of the words: “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness”.

First, you get “who suppress the truth [about God]”ß--that is ungodliness. Then you get “in unrighteousness” [who suppress the truth about God IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS]. Before a man is unrighteous, he is first ungodly. Ungodliness or irreverence towards God is expressed horizontally [towards our fellowman] by the way we deal with each other. You don’t have to be an atheist to be ungodly, there are many people here on this blue planet that believes in the existence of God but deny Him in the way they live.

Let us ask ourselves: “are we godly?” If the answer is“Yes” then let us ask ourselves this question: “how are we dealing with our fellow man?”

1Jo 4:20 If a man says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not
seen?

[Ironside]

Why does God consider their idolatry and unrighteous living as suppression of the truth and not just mere oversight or ignorance due to lack of information about God? Verse 19

Ro 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Notice the words above: “manifest IN them, for God has shown it TO them”

The truth about God is something that is obvious and not hidden in us. Why? Because God has shown it to us. Deep inside the heart of man is the inherent knowledge that God exists. Man knows the truth about God because what may be known about God is manifest in us for God has shown it to us [the truth about Him].


To better understand the verse, let me tell you a true story told by pastor Ray Stedman about a certain Miss Keller. Miss Keller as an infant lost her sight, her hearing and her speech. The world to her was dark and silent. Miss Keller learned about the earth and about all that we normal human beings know about from a Christian lady who showed her love and care, Miss Sullivan. One day, Miss Sullivan wanted to impart to her some truth about God and so she asked for the aid of a certain doctor who knows how to communicate to her via finger pressure. Miss Sullivan communicated the truth about God and then the doctor relayed the message to Miss Keller through finger pressure. As Miss Keller understood the message being relayed, light broke out on her face and replied in her own way: "Oh, I know Him. I've known Him a long, long time."


Miss Keller knew about the earth and about everything we normal beings know about through Miss Sullivan. But who has shown her the truth about God? Here read the verse again


: Ro 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest IN them, for God has shown it TO them.



Miss Keller, a deaf, blind lady knew within her heart that God exists. Question is: How did she know? God showed it to her. How did God show to Miss Keller the truth that God exists? Through Creation, through the things that God made. But she was blind and deaf? True, but she was conscious of her existence. She knew that she was a creature. She knew that she never existed before and that Somebody brought her into this world. She knew about the people around her and that Somebody must have created them too.



Application

God has shown us through the things that He has made that He exists. The problem is not lack of evidence but the want of spiritual eyesight due to the blinding effect of sin. This means that the only way for man to be an idolater or an atheist is to deliberately reject the truth about what God has shown to us. Being an atheist, an agnostic or an idolater is not an intellectual problem. It is not because one lacks sufficient information or evidence about God that’s why he rejects the true God or worships other gods. No, it is a moral problem. It takes a deliberate decision coming from a depraved mind, a darkened heart and an obstinate, iron will to reject truth about God.



If ever you look around you and you can't see God, that's sin working in you.
Sin has blinded the unconverted man's eyes and logic. No evidence so clear can convince such a one. Even if the Lord Jesus would perform wondrous miracles and would raise every dead people in the grave sin would always find 'loopholes' and every other thing just to explain away the miracle.


The Pharisees witnessed Jesus raising a dead person from the dead. What did they do? They sought all the more to kill him. The Israelites saw all the miracles during their journey to the Promise Land, they saw the sea opened for them, they witnessed the mountain of Sinai filled with God's presence, they saw all the miracles........what happened? Were they converted? No.


21 …………….but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened [by sin]


There's no real atheist. Just hardened and blinded suppressors of truth through the process of hardening over time became convinced that there is no God. God gave them over to thier debased mind. What a frieghtening thought!!!


Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;


The Christian’s stance is not to prove to them that God exists. No, that is a given. Rather, Christians are to pray for them and call them to repentance.

[Ironside]

I think an outline would be in order here before we proceed with the exposition of the following verses.If we are to summarize the writer’s thoughts in one sentence starting from chapter 1:18 to chapter 3:20 it would be this:


All men are sinners and are bankrupt of perfect righteousness in the eyes of God


The writer divides man into two categories: Gentiles and Jews. He further subdivided Gentiles into two: a) Pagan Gentiles and b) Moral Gentiles.


Romans 1:18-32.............. Romans 2:1-16................Ro mans 2:17-3:8
(Pagan Gentiles)........... ....... (Moral Gentiles)........... ............ (Jews)



Gentiles----these refer to non-Israelites [non Jews]. We Filipinos are in this category as the Americans, Japanese, Chinese etc.


The Pagan Gentiles----these are those who worshipped false gods and are living immoral lives. Romans 1:18-32 says that they are sinners and are bankrupt of perfect righteousness in the eyes of God.


The Moral Gentiles---these are Gentiles who are living moral lives in contrast to the pagan Gentiles. Romans 2:1-16 says that even though they are living moral lives they are still sinners and bankrupt of perfect righteousness in the eyes of God. What the pagan gentiles do overtly they do covertly and secretly in their hearts. God in that Day would reveal the secrets of their hearts [verse 16].


Jews----these are men who are proud of their race. They feel that since they are God’s chosen people, a people of whom God gave the Law, they are exempt from judgment. Romans 2:17-3:8 says that possession of the Law does not exempt them from God’s judgment. They have not obeyed the Law perfectly from the inside out. They are sinners too and are bankrupt of perfect righteousness in the eyes of God just as the pagan and the moral Gentiles.


Romans 3:9-20 rounds up the indictment by concluding that all men [pagan Gentiles, moral Gentiles and Jews even thought they have the Law of Moses] are sinners and are bankrupt of perfect righteousness of God. The Law which the Jews relied on for salvation only served to condemn him as guilty. Instead of bringing salvation, the Law which the Jews relied, only brought the piercing and poignant awareness of him being a sinner and bankrupt of perfect righteousness in the eyes of God.


Application


In these three chapters of Romans [1:18-3:20] we are given three different kinds of people that will go to the lake of fire. Three different kinds of people [immoral, moral and religious] and yet only one root cause why they are all there--> they did not trust in the Savior alone for salvation. The determining point of salvation is not whether you have been moral or not. Not whether you have been religious or not. But it is whether you have trusted the Savior or not.


.

[Ironside]

C. The manner in which God revealed Himself to Pagan Gentiles



How has God showed and revealed Himself to man?


Ro 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


He has revealed Himself by the things that are made. It is interesting to note that the word "made" in the original Greek is the word "poiema". Longfellow took a paper and wrote a poem on it and it costs 6000$. It showed the literary genius of Longfellow. A poem supposes a poet. There can be no poem without a poet.


God from nothing "wrote" a poem [Creation] and it reveals Him. Creation supposes a Creator. In other words, Creation logically requires a Creator. The things that are made make manifest and clear the Maker. Where ever there is a thing, there must be a preceding thought, where ever there is a thought there must be a thinker.

“Many years ago, Sir Isaac Newton had an exact replica of our solar system made in miniature. At its center was a large golden ball representing the sun, and revolving around it were smaller spheres attached at the ends of rods of varying lengths. They represented Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and the other planets. These were all geared together by cogs and belts to make them move around the “sun” in perfect harmony.

One day as Newton was studying the model, a friend who did not believe in the biblical account of creation stopped by for a visit. Marveling at the device and watching as the scientist made the heavenly bodies move in their orbits, the man exclaimed, “Why, Newton, what an exquisite thing! Who made it for you?”


Without looking up, Sir Isaac said, “Nobody.”

“Nobody?”

“That’s right,” replied Newton. “I said nobody. All of these balls and cogs and belts and gears just happened to come together, and wonder of wonders, by chance they began revolving in their set orbits and with perfect timing!”


What are the two invisible characteristics of the invisible God that are seen in Creation?


Ro 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


The revelation of Creation concerning God is limited. It does not give us fuller revelations about Him as we have it in our Written Revelation, the Bible. Creation does not tell us about His grace, His love, His justice etc. However, Creation tell us two things about the Creator:

a) eternal power--- The being who created all these things must possess great power for Him to hang the mighty sun exploding with fire all the time, for Him to put into orbit the moon during the night, for Him to suspend mighty earth on nothing but empty space these thousands of years etc.


A Creator must necessarily precede His Creation, therefore this Creator is before His creation. He is therefore eternal.


b) Godhead [refers to His essential attributes or characteristics as God]---In Creation I see some of the divine characteristics of the Creator. He must be someone who is intelligent, wise, powerful etc.


The immensity of Creation tells me of His omnipotence. The variety in Creation tells me of His omniscience and the order I see everywhere in Creation tells me of His sovereign control and omnipresence. These [eternal power and Godhead] are clear and easy to see in Creation. So for the pagan Gentile to worship idols made of wood, silver, stone and metal etc. is suppression of the truth about the Creator. THEREFORE THEY ARE WITHOUT VALID EXCUSE in their rejection of the truth about the Creator:


Ro 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


Men who suppress the truth about God are without excuse for God's revelation of Himself in Creation is consistent, conspicous and comprehensible:


God's revelation about Himself in Creation is consistent


Ro 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


Since the very beginning, Creation has eloquently testfied about God's eternal power and Godhead. To miss that is to miss it delibarately.




God's revelation about Himself in Creation is conspicous


Ro 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


To fail to see God and deny His existence is deliberate blindness.


God's revelation about Himself in Creation is comprehensible


Ro 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,


Creation's testimony about God can be understood. Creation requires a Creator. This Creator must be eternally to put all these things here. This Creator is above all Creation. No creature is above his Creator. He is God over His creation.


Creation consistently, clearly and inteligibly testifies about His eternal power and Godhead. To fail to honor and glorify Him is inexcusable.

[Ironside]

The reason why Pagan Gentiles are inexcusable in their rejection of God

Why are they without excuse in their rejection of God?

Ro 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened


They are inexcusable in their rejection of God because they knew truth about God from Creation but they deliberately refuse to give God due worship:


Ro 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful,




They did not glorify Him. To glorify God is to recognize Him in our lives for who He is.

They were unthankful to Him for His daily benefits that He bestows on them.


And the cause of their rejection of God is not oversight or ignorance. It is because of the depravity of their minds and hearts---“ but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”



Application

1) Atheism or polytheism is not an intellectual problem. It is not the upshot because of the lack of evidence about God. Rather, it is a spiritual and moral problem. It is a deliberate refusal to recognize the clear and conspicuous revelation of God in Creation.


2)Here in this verse, we are given man's entire duty and proper response to God: glorify Him and thank Him always.


Ps 139:14 "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well."


Also this verse disproves the theory of evolution regarding religion. Evolution says that man began with primitive conceptions about God and that he worshipped many gods from the beginning. But this verse tells us the very opposite, man [Adam and Eve, Noah and his family] in the beginning knew God but because of sin, man became idol worshippers, they degenerated from monotheism to polytheism not vice versa.



How about us? Do we honor God everyday by the way we live? Are we thanking Him everyday? Do we worship the One true, Ever Living God? Or do we have idols in our hearts? It is sad that there are many people today who profess to worship God but deny Him in practice. People worship many idols—pleasure, self, money, sex etc.

[Ironside]

From these verses that we have studied, I think it is fitting to answer the question: "What about those who have never heard of the salvation of Christ? Are they doomed forever?"



If Christ is the only Savior, then what about those people who have never heard of Him? Those people before He came and those people who lived in this world after He came but never came to hear about His salvation, are they doomed forever?


God has given all man light and revelation. He has given all man Creation to testify of His might and eternal power. He has also given all conscience, giving them a sense of right and wrong. [Israel, He has given three: Creation, Conscience and Law].



With these, man can either do two things: a] he can reject that light by not seeking God or b] man can be faithful to that light and revelation by seeking God. Doing the former would ultimately result in judgment while taking the course of the latter would mean further light and revelation from God. God would then send to him the knowledge of the good news of Christ's salvation. Trusting Christ, he would be saved.


A wealthy man was once passing by a street in New York when he saw an old, bedraggled, poverty stricken fellow lying on the street. Engulfed by compassion, he handed him a crisp 100 dollar bill. He wanted to give him more but he wanted to see what he will do with the money. To his dismay, the poor man spent the money on drugs and liquor. Knowing that the man would not be wise and faithful if he would give him more, he dropped the idea of giving him a thousand grand. He who is faithful with litttle, will be faithful with much.




Romans 1:20 tells us that those people who do not have fuller knowledge of God [as the Jews have] are without excuse. For Creation is revelation enough to prove to him that God exist. He should have followed the proddings of his conscience to seek this one true God who is the creator of all things. He should have remained faithful and true to the dictates of his conscience [no matter how small that guidance maybe]. He, even though without the law of Moses, is fully aware that he has done wrong in his life since he has some degree knowledge of right and wrong through his conscience. Any man on earth who seeks God will certainly find Him. God looks down from heaven to see if there is any man seeking Him, a man who is faithful to the light He has given.



What matters is a seeking heart. For even if you live in a country where the gospel is preached day in and day out, but, if your heart is not seeking God, the gospel will be nothing to you even if Providence allows you to hear it every day. The native aborigine in the center of the jungle of the continent of Africa, if he is not faithful to the light {Creation and Conscience} God has given him by not seeking Him, the gospel will be of no use to him even if a missionary might happen to slip in there. His hearing the gospel and not believing in it will only result to a greater judgment. The missionary fulfilled his responsibility; he on the other hand, did not. To know truths from God {especially the saving truth of God in Christ} is a privilege that calls for our responsibility that not believing in the Gospel is disobedience to it {2Th 1:8, 1Pe 4:17}]---tagged behind the Gospel is the Gospel command to 'trust in the Lord Jesus Christ"



He who is faithful with little revelation about God will be faithful with the Gospel of Salvation.



Cornelius [a non-Israelite] was a man who was faithful to the light he had from God, that he lived accordingly to the light given him. He sought God and he found God in Christ through Peter. God sent Peter to him and he heard of the good news of salvation in Christ, trusted in Christ and got saved.



The wise men who were geographically more remote than the Jews who lived in Israel themselves, found Christ. While the Jews who lived in Israel complete with their Scriptures, with there “Doctors of Theology” did not find Him. Many years later, they even crucified Him.



Rahab was a non-Israelite woman who belonged to a nation and race whom God appointed Israel to destroy as punishment for their sin. All odds were against her. She was a prostitute, a pagan who belonged to a nation bound for destruction, having no earlier promise that she will be spared. But when she heard of the God of Israel and realized that this God was the God of heaven and earth, she acted accordingly [no doubt prompted by the dictates of conscience] that it is but only right to spare the spies Israel sent in their land. The result: God spared her and became part of the elect nation. After that, for sure she must have heard of the coming Savior that will come to Israel through the Old Testament Scriptures through her Israelite friends, she trusted in Him and got saved, even becoming the great, great grandmother of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior Himself!!!!!!



God has given us conscience and creation. Creation proves that He exists. Conscience gives us a sense of right and wrong. If God sees you faithful to the dictates of your conscience [no matter what religion and race you maybe in] He will take the responsibility to reveal to you the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ because you have been faithful to the light He has given. He who is faithful with little will be faithful with much. How about you my friend? You have heard this message of salvation a million times over in God's Providence


"Christ died for your sins and resurrected for our salvation"


Question is: Does that message mean everything to you? Or is it just a sleeping pill that is effective to rock you to sleep? Have you any desire to come to Christ or are you content with sin in your life?

[artagnan]

i may ask you this,
1. papaano ba makukuha ang salvation ? salvation para maging karapat dapat sa DIOS at sa PANGINOONG JESUS:
2.kailangan ba ang RELIGION_ or what i should say is IMPORTANTE ba ito?:
3. para sa iyo, ang PANGINOONG JESUS ba at ang AMA isa? one entity, or sige sabihin na natin ung teachings ng ONENESS
4.pasensiya na marami akong tanong hehhehehe

[Ironside]

I would be more than glad to answer questions such as you have my friend.



i may ask you this,
1. papaano ba makukuha ang salvation ? salvation para maging karapat dapat sa DIOS at sa PANGINOONG JESUS:


Christ Jesus died for our sins and rose back to life again for our justification, if we put our trust in Him and what He did on the cross alone then we are declared and reckoned by God as perfectly righteous. Not because of who we are and what we have done but solely because of what Christ did on the cross for us.




2.kailangan ba ang RELIGION_ or what i should say is IMPORTANTE ba ito?:


Not religion but the person of the Lord Jesus Christ--the Savior Himself. Without the Savior no salvation avails us. No religion died for our sins and rose back to life again.




3. para sa iyo, ang PANGINOONG JESUS ba at ang AMA isa? one entity, or sige sabihin na natin ung teachings ng ONENESS


The Father is a distint person from the Son and vice versa. There is only one God but this one God exists in three blessed persons-Father, Son and the Holy Spirit



4.pasensiya na marami akong tanong hehhehehe


okay na okay lang. Sa mga tanong na ganito. Wothwhile talagang sagutin. Bless you

[Ironside]

Ro 1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,


Verse 21 says that although they knew God basically through Creation, they [through deliberate unbelief] became vain in their thoughts--speculations about God. Hence they misrepresent Him through idols etc. In the process, their hearts [minds, emotions and will] were darkened.


Their minds have false conceptions about God. Their affections were diverted to devotions to false gods. Their wills became subject to other gods.


Here in verse 22 we hear their boast about themselves:


Ro 1:22 Professing to be wise............


The word "professing" here in the original Greek has with it the idea of assertion. They assert, they declare with certainty that they are wise.

God has clearly revealed Himself in Creation and yet they refuse to accept it. To refuse light is to be in darkness. They contrive many speculations and theories to evade the evident truth staring them in the face about God through Creation. And these speculations, false theories, and suppositions they brand as wisdom and boasts about it.


They assert about these things in bold and dogmatic fashion. They consider themselves "experts" in their field. But in reality all their false ideas about God are but huff and puff.


A man who is a member of a cult once told me that the former President of our country Ferdinand Marcos was still alive today. And that he did not really die at all. He told me that a man named Moncado who they consider as their leader [I have a feeling that they consider him as god] is actually the richest man in the world--he owns all the money in the world and that he owns the Philippines. And that this year will be a turning point for the Philippines. The Philippines from now on will become the richest country in the world.


He further told me that the reason why America is having a crisis today is because Moncado's money is now being withdrawn from the top banks of the world. They have this man in their cult, he said, that could transform himself to whatever human form he likes. He can transform himself into an American, a Chinese, a European etc. All these things he asserts in a solid, brickwall certainty.


They profess to know mysteries about God but all these are just bagpipe talk.


In denying the truth about God and glorying in erroneous conceptions, they became fools:


Ro 1:22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,



They became nonsensical because of their worthless speculations and theories.


Application


To know and recognize God is wisdom. To reject Him is folly.


To know Him truly, one must first know Him experientially as Savior. He sent His Son to die for our sins and rose back to life again that if we put our trust in Him we will be saved.

[Ironside]

Ro 1:23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.


There were two things the pagan Gentiles did with the natural revelation God has given of Himself in nature. In verse 21 they did not glorify God [they did not recognize Him for who He is] nor were thankful to Him. Here in verse 23 we are given the second:


They " changed the glory of the incorruptible God............"


Glory here refers to God's perfections---His attributes. Example: God is infinite and perfectly incorruptible. God is all powerful and all knowing. In Creation we see two of His attributes: Godhead and Eternal power. What these pagan Gentiles did however, was that they altered what they can clearly see about God as revealed in nature.


God is incorruptible/not subject to decay---He is eternal [that can be clearly seen in Creation wherein His eternal power is made manifest]. Refusing to recognize God as revealed in Creation, he made representations of Him which in reality are idols. And to make representations of God is actually a distortion of His glory. In effect, they are worshipping another god.



"And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things."



Here in this verse we see four things which they made to represent God. Each actually represents their downward progression of their concept of God. AND WE MUST REMEMBER THIS AXIOM: WE BECOME WHAT WE WORSHIP. We become what our object of worship is. Worship money; you will become greedy. Worship power; you become selfishly ambitious. Worship pleasure; you become a hedonist.


First, they made images of corruptible man:



"And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man............"



We are living witnesses as to this fact. Men worshipping images of his fellowmen.
There are even those who worship actual men and women not just their images!!!


Application


You may profess to be a Christian and not do the abovementioned but examine yourself:


People and Love ones * The true Ever Living GOD


NOTE: There is nothing inherently wrong with those listed on the left.


1) Who controls your decisions in life?

2) We are of course to love our fellowmen but has it become inordinate that God now becomes number 2 in our lives?

3) Can you "sacrifice your Isaac" for God if God commands you to?

4) Has the thought of your girlfriend or boyfriend become obsessive that althoughout the day you think nothing else but him or her and the thought of God has faded into the background?





Second, they made images of corruptible birds:


"And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds..............."


We see a lot of this in India



Third, they made images of four footed animals:


"And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals......


And you can do anything you like if you have a god like that. What grovelling and base morality they must have!!!!



Fourth, they made images of creeping things:


"And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things."


Man was created to have dominion of these animals, now because of his refusal to honor and worship the true everlivng God, he worships creeping things. Lots of base and ignoble things happen when man refuses to honor and glorify God.

[Ironside]

Our Will Be Done



The verses that we are about to study is one of the most frightening passages in the whole Bible. May our hearts be sober as we study these passages. One writer said in effect: “There are two kinds of people here on earth---- a) those who say to God: “Your will be done” and b) those to whom God says: “Your will be done” The section that we are going to study now belongs to the latter---God in judgment says to unrepentant sinner: “Your will be done” leaving the sinner in a vortex and whirlpool of spiritual self destruction.



Before going into the verses proper, it is important that we review the doctrine of the Depravity of Man lest we be misled to think that God is the primary cause of immorality and unrighteousness in the passages we are about to study. What is Depravity? What do we mean by Depravity of Man? And in relation to this it would be proper to refresh ourselves with the Doctrine of Common Grace and Good Works [what is good works Biblically]




Depravity of Man: What is it?


Depravity of man is that man is as possibly bad off as he can be. It refers to man’s innate sinfulness. In the heart of every human being lies the capacity, the tendency and the potential to commit all kinds of wickedness, all sin mentioned in the Book given the right situation and context. Depravity also says that in man, in his unsaved state, nothing good dwells. Absolutely nothing that he does is good in God’s sight.



Ro 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.



“Those who are in the flesh” refers to those who are not saved; those who do not have the Holy Spirit of God. The verse says: Those who are in the flesh [those who are not saved] cannot please God.


That’s why the Bible says:



Ge 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.



We may reason that that verse refers to those people in Noah’s time. Not so, when we get to the New Testament, God’s verdict remains the same when God looks at unsaved man:



Ro 3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;

11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.

12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."



I never understood those verses before. I wondered: "How can there be none righteous, none who does good when everywhere I see people both unsaved and saved doing good?" Until the verse below illumined me:



Isa 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.



“Filthy rags” here actually alludes to the menstrual cloth of a woman stained with menstrual blood. That is how God views unsaved man’s good works. The unsaved man only has one nature, that is, sinful nature. Every thing that proceeds from him finds its root in that one nature of his.



Also……



Unsaved man does not have to commit actual sins to sin; he being in the unrepentant state is sin in itself. He doesn’t have to lie, murder, steal to commit sin, his being unrepentant and not trusting Christ alone for salvation is sin in itself. Even if he sleeps all day as long as he stays unrepentant that unrepentant state is sin in itself. Man is not basically good [no matter what Psychology says]. No rather, man is basically sinful. We all have the same disease [Sin] but we manifest different symptoms.



The innate sinful proclivity in man



One prisoner convicted of murder said: “I was not a murderer before. I never thought of snuffing the life off somebody. You can verify what I just said to my neighbors. I am a good citizen. It was just that I suddenly snapped!!! He endlessly provoked me to anger again and again every single day. I couldn’t contain my anger anymore.”



The man obviously did not know the sinfulness of his heart. God in heaven, however, was not surprised about the murder he committed. God knew all along [since his childhood] that lying inherent in his heart is the tendency to murder. It was not the situation that made him a murderer. No, the situation only drew out what was in his heart all along.



Only one Man that ever walked this planet will alw