#33 - Saved From Saved To?
#33 - Romans 1–6
BIBLE TEXT SECTIONS:
Rom 1 - Greeting - Longing to Go To Rome - The Righteous Shall Live by Faith - God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
Rom 2 - God’s Righteous Judgment - God’s Judgment and The Law
Rom 3 - God’s Righteousness Upheld - No One Is Righteous - The Righteousness of God Through Faith
Rom 4 - Abraham Justified by Faith - The Promise Realized Through Faith -
Rom 5 - Peace With God Through Faith
Rom 6 - Dead To Sin, Alive To God - Slaves To Righteousness
Read the Book yourself then…
watch the Bible Project video on Romans
Neil Evans COMMENTS:
The book of Acts describes the spread of the Gospel during the first fifty or so years after Jesus’ resurrection. The descriptions of the Gospel in Acts are accurate but brief. The rest of the New Testament books are letters written by the Apostles Paul, John, Peter, and James to various people and churches that were described in the book of Acts. The Epistles address issues that the young church (and all future churches) faced, which needed God’s perspective more fully explained. Thus, the writers “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2Pet 1:21) And so, “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2Tim 3:16,17) The Epistles teach God’s perspective of Salvation, Church, Christian Living, The Future and many related issues.
In Romans, Paul teaches God’s philosophy of Salvation. Perhaps the best explanation of why Romans is necessary is the often heard statement: “I’m basically a good person, I hope I will go to Heaven.” Salvation is often thought of as primarily being saved “to” some sort of forever good life. There may be a recognition of being saved from a hell, but usually people think they are not bad enough to be sent there. So what is God’s view of Salvation?
The words “saved” and “salvation” are used in many contexts, but in the Bible context usually associated with a person’s relationship with God and their eternal destiny. What happens to us when we die? How can we prepare for that time? To answer these questions Paul begins by answering the question: “why is salvation even necessary?” “Why do we need to be saved?” After a brief introduction where Paul says he is not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, he jumps right in to answer these fundamental questions about “Salvation.”
Am I (are you) as good as I tend to think I am? In Romans 1&2 Paul answers that question. He describes humanity in clear and unmistakable terms. All of 1:18-32 is graphically descriptive and should be seriously pondered. But look at just 1:28-31 “28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” I tend to protest “that’s not me!” And I assume most people feel the same. But look at the next few verses. “1:32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Maybe, on a very good day, I don’t act badly. But remember the standard that Jesus set when He said that to think hateful, lustful, lying thoughts is the same as doing them. (Matthew 5) Sin is primarily a matter of the heart, not the hand. So yes, as embarrassing as it is to admit, Romans 1&2 describes me, and everyone I know. And it is not just that I “do” bad things, I “am” bad. And it is not just that “bad” describes things I do, I am … Romans 1:18-25 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
I realize how easy it is to think this is too harsh. But PLEASE keep reading with me because our Salvation is as much about being “saved from” our deserved wrath of God as it is about our being “saved to” the glories of Heaven.
No one keeps the Law perfectly. In fact Paul singles out religious people as often the greatest offenders. Romans 2:17–24 “But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Paul then illustrates his point by saying that the Jews tended to think that their ordinance of circumcision justified them before God, it actually became meaningless when they broke other laws. Even religious teachers (like me) are guilty before God. Hang on, there is just a little more about our sin, then it gets wondrously hopeful.
Paul quotes the Old Testament to show that the truth that everyone is unrighteous is not a new idea but an age-old one. Romans 3:10–12 “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Why is it that I tend to think I might be an exception to that statement? Could it be that sin has blinded me?
Keeping the Law will never justify my sin, because I can never perfectly keep the Law. BUT, are you ready? Here comes not just The Good News, but THE BEST NEWS any sinner could ever hear. Romans 3:21–26 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Read it over and over again, let it sink deeply into my mind and heart. Dear God, help me understand what this says You have done for me.
Chapters 4,5 and 6 are just as rich and exciting but cannot be truly appreciated without a basic understanding of chapters 1&2. Chapter 4 describes the fact that Abraham was declared righteous before he had God’s laws to keep. There was no Church building, no Temple, no ordinances, no religious leaders, only the promise of God that he and Sarah would have a son. The words are as profound as they are simple … Romans 4:3 (Genesis 15:6) “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham was declared by God to be righteous on the basis of Abrahams faith in God’s gracious promise. And thus it has always been. Any Jew that God ever considered righteous or justified, became so by faith in God’s promised Messiah. Likewise, any Christian who God ever considers righteous or justified becomes so by faith in Jesus Christ Who is “the Just and the Justifier.” (Romans 3:26)
Romans chapter 5 describes the results of our justification and righteousness. It is a result of our faith (5:1); we have peace with God (5:1); we stand in grace (5:2); we rejoice in hope of the Glory of God (5:2); and we rejoice in the sufferings that build Godly character in us (5:3-5). And God’s Gracious blessings continue. We are “saved by Him from the wrath of God (5:9,10); we are reconciled to God (5:10,11). And surrounding it all, rather than rejoicing in what we accomplish, we rejoice in God (5:11).
Just in case we need reminding, Paul reminds us in Romans 5:12-14, that the fact we are sinners, enemies of God and dead to Him is because we are descended from Adam, whose disobedience heart we all inherit. It is not as if God holds us each accountable for Adam’s sin, for we each have our own sin that requires atonement. We are sinners because we are human beings with Adams sinful nature. Then there is the little word “but” at the beginning of 5:15-21. In this section the word “grace” is used five times (count them) to describe the “LIFE” God gives to those with the faith of Abraham. It is the “free gift” that is “much more … justifying … abundant … the grace that also reigns through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
God knows us well. Paul anticipates the way our sin nature thinks. If God’s Grace is so wonderful and powerful in it’s response to our sin, why don’t we just go on sinning since it is covered by God’s Grace. To put words in Paul’s mouth, “haven’t we been paying attention?” When Jesus died for our sin, he died in our place. From God’s perspective we died with Jesus, were buried with Jesus, rose with Jesus, and have NEW LIFE with Jesus. How can anyone who believes this go on willfully sinning, presuming on the Amazing Grace of God? Because of our sinful human nature we were slaves to sin, unable to please God. No matter how many good things we tried to do we always fell short. But now, by God’s Grace we have become glad slaves to God’s righteousness.
In Romans 12:1 Paul admonishes us to “present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.” Someone has said that the problem of living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the alter. It is not that God’s Grace cannot, or does not keep us, but that because of our sin nature it takes time for the magnificent truths of Romans 1-6 to sink into our heart and mind and out into our life. (“work out your salvation” Philippians 2:12) For this reason, I read it over and over again, asking God to help me truly believe (the same word as “faith”) what He is telling me. I beg of you to do the same.
BIBLE TEXT SECTIONS:
Rom 1 - Greeting - Longing to Go To Rome - The Righteous Shall Live by Faith - God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
Rom 2 - God’s Righteous Judgment - God’s Judgment and The Law
Rom 3 - God’s Righteousness Upheld - No One Is Righteous - The Righteousness of God Through Faith
Rom 4 - Abraham Justified by Faith - The Promise Realized Through Faith -
Rom 5 - Peace With God Through Faith
Rom 6 - Dead To Sin, Alive To God - Slaves To Righteousness
Read the Book yourself then…
watch the Bible Project video on Romans
Neil Evans COMMENTS:
The book of Acts describes the spread of the Gospel during the first fifty or so years after Jesus’ resurrection. The descriptions of the Gospel in Acts are accurate but brief. The rest of the New Testament books are letters written by the Apostles Paul, John, Peter, and James to various people and churches that were described in the book of Acts. The Epistles address issues that the young church (and all future churches) faced, which needed God’s perspective more fully explained. Thus, the writers “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2Pet 1:21) And so, “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2Tim 3:16,17) The Epistles teach God’s perspective of Salvation, Church, Christian Living, The Future and many related issues.
In Romans, Paul teaches God’s philosophy of Salvation. Perhaps the best explanation of why Romans is necessary is the often heard statement: “I’m basically a good person, I hope I will go to Heaven.” Salvation is often thought of as primarily being saved “to” some sort of forever good life. There may be a recognition of being saved from a hell, but usually people think they are not bad enough to be sent there. So what is God’s view of Salvation?
The words “saved” and “salvation” are used in many contexts, but in the Bible context usually associated with a person’s relationship with God and their eternal destiny. What happens to us when we die? How can we prepare for that time? To answer these questions Paul begins by answering the question: “why is salvation even necessary?” “Why do we need to be saved?” After a brief introduction where Paul says he is not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, he jumps right in to answer these fundamental questions about “Salvation.”
Am I (are you) as good as I tend to think I am? In Romans 1&2 Paul answers that question. He describes humanity in clear and unmistakable terms. All of 1:18-32 is graphically descriptive and should be seriously pondered. But look at just 1:28-31 “28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” I tend to protest “that’s not me!” And I assume most people feel the same. But look at the next few verses. “1:32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Maybe, on a very good day, I don’t act badly. But remember the standard that Jesus set when He said that to think hateful, lustful, lying thoughts is the same as doing them. (Matthew 5) Sin is primarily a matter of the heart, not the hand. So yes, as embarrassing as it is to admit, Romans 1&2 describes me, and everyone I know. And it is not just that I “do” bad things, I “am” bad. And it is not just that “bad” describes things I do, I am … Romans 1:18-25 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
I realize how easy it is to think this is too harsh. But PLEASE keep reading with me because our Salvation is as much about being “saved from” our deserved wrath of God as it is about our being “saved to” the glories of Heaven.
No one keeps the Law perfectly. In fact Paul singles out religious people as often the greatest offenders. Romans 2:17–24 “But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Paul then illustrates his point by saying that the Jews tended to think that their ordinance of circumcision justified them before God, it actually became meaningless when they broke other laws. Even religious teachers (like me) are guilty before God. Hang on, there is just a little more about our sin, then it gets wondrously hopeful.
Paul quotes the Old Testament to show that the truth that everyone is unrighteous is not a new idea but an age-old one. Romans 3:10–12 “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Why is it that I tend to think I might be an exception to that statement? Could it be that sin has blinded me?
Keeping the Law will never justify my sin, because I can never perfectly keep the Law. BUT, are you ready? Here comes not just The Good News, but THE BEST NEWS any sinner could ever hear. Romans 3:21–26 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Read it over and over again, let it sink deeply into my mind and heart. Dear God, help me understand what this says You have done for me.
Chapters 4,5 and 6 are just as rich and exciting but cannot be truly appreciated without a basic understanding of chapters 1&2. Chapter 4 describes the fact that Abraham was declared righteous before he had God’s laws to keep. There was no Church building, no Temple, no ordinances, no religious leaders, only the promise of God that he and Sarah would have a son. The words are as profound as they are simple … Romans 4:3 (Genesis 15:6) “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham was declared by God to be righteous on the basis of Abrahams faith in God’s gracious promise. And thus it has always been. Any Jew that God ever considered righteous or justified, became so by faith in God’s promised Messiah. Likewise, any Christian who God ever considers righteous or justified becomes so by faith in Jesus Christ Who is “the Just and the Justifier.” (Romans 3:26)
Romans chapter 5 describes the results of our justification and righteousness. It is a result of our faith (5:1); we have peace with God (5:1); we stand in grace (5:2); we rejoice in hope of the Glory of God (5:2); and we rejoice in the sufferings that build Godly character in us (5:3-5). And God’s Gracious blessings continue. We are “saved by Him from the wrath of God (5:9,10); we are reconciled to God (5:10,11). And surrounding it all, rather than rejoicing in what we accomplish, we rejoice in God (5:11).
Just in case we need reminding, Paul reminds us in Romans 5:12-14, that the fact we are sinners, enemies of God and dead to Him is because we are descended from Adam, whose disobedience heart we all inherit. It is not as if God holds us each accountable for Adam’s sin, for we each have our own sin that requires atonement. We are sinners because we are human beings with Adams sinful nature. Then there is the little word “but” at the beginning of 5:15-21. In this section the word “grace” is used five times (count them) to describe the “LIFE” God gives to those with the faith of Abraham. It is the “free gift” that is “much more … justifying … abundant … the grace that also reigns through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
God knows us well. Paul anticipates the way our sin nature thinks. If God’s Grace is so wonderful and powerful in it’s response to our sin, why don’t we just go on sinning since it is covered by God’s Grace. To put words in Paul’s mouth, “haven’t we been paying attention?” When Jesus died for our sin, he died in our place. From God’s perspective we died with Jesus, were buried with Jesus, rose with Jesus, and have NEW LIFE with Jesus. How can anyone who believes this go on willfully sinning, presuming on the Amazing Grace of God? Because of our sinful human nature we were slaves to sin, unable to please God. No matter how many good things we tried to do we always fell short. But now, by God’s Grace we have become glad slaves to God’s righteousness.
In Romans 12:1 Paul admonishes us to “present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God.” Someone has said that the problem of living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the alter. It is not that God’s Grace cannot, or does not keep us, but that because of our sin nature it takes time for the magnificent truths of Romans 1-6 to sink into our heart and mind and out into our life. (“work out your salvation” Philippians 2:12) For this reason, I read it over and over again, asking God to help me truly believe (the same word as “faith”) what He is telling me. I beg of you to do the same.
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project summary of Romans
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"