Romans
1:1-17 “Greetings & the Gospel”
The
book of Romans was probably written while Paul was staying in Corinth around
56AD. He would be arrested in Jerusalem in 57AD and held captive at Caesarea
until 59AD. He arrived in Rome in 60AD and spent 2 years in house arrest. He
was then released. He may have travelled to Spain and Gaul, perhaps Britain
according to tradition, then re-arrested and imprisoned in Rome, finally being
beheaded by order of Emperor Nero somewhere between 64 and 68AD. Nero committed
suicide in June 68AD so Paul was executed before that, some saying only a short
time before Nero died.
Romans
1:1 – Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called {to be} an
apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
servant = ‘doulos’
– servant, bondservant, slave. δοῦλος
can mean slave, one who is permanently in servitude, in subjection to a master,
but can also mean servant, according to the context.
Macarthur
makes a lot of this word meaning ‘slave’ and has written a book about this,
aptly named Slave. He says that there has been a “cover-up of biblical
proportions” by translating it as ‘servant’ instead. English translators have
“perpetrated a fraud”. (Quotes from the book’s back cover.) He even says this
mistake is unintentional, but can an unintentional mistake be a cover-up? Note
that Jesus said we were no longer ‘doulos’ but ‘philos’ (friend).
John 15:15
– Henceforth I call you not servants; for
the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I
have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have
made known unto you.
Certainly as ‘doulos’
we are meant to be in total subjection to God, but we are also called children
of God and friends, among other terms. Why is it so important for MacArthur to
push this issue so intensely? If you remember that his view of God’s
sovereignty is such that no decision can be made in the universe unless God
makes it first, then we are merely puppets or slaves that God controls by
pulling strings. And if we are elect, then our perseverance is essential to enter
heaven. Such calvinist perseverance is also only possible if we are literally
slaves without a will of our own.
apostle – Envoy, ambassador, or messenger commissioned to carry out
the instructions of the commissioning agent (Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary).
An
apostle originally referred to the 12 disciples, with Judas replaced by
Matthias after the resurrection.
Acts 1:26
– And they gave forth their lots; and the
lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
But Matthias was never mentioned
again and so many believe that Paul was God’s replacement for Judas. But the
requirements for the replacement was that he had to be present with Jesus from
His baptism by John the Baptist until after the resurrection (Acts 1) so we
still have to accept that Matthias was Judas’ replacement.
The word ‘apostle’ (apostolos) means
‘one sent forth with orders’.
Acts
14:4 calls both Paul and Barnabas apostles, sent forth with orders (Acts 13:2).
separated – aphorizo (set apart [from that
which is disreputable] for a purpose). So what does it
mean here to be separated? In the context of Romans 1 it appears to relate to
making a choice between the world and the gospel! Remember that those who
didn’t take up their crosses were not worthy of Jesus and couldn’t be His
disciples. Scripture appears to say that in order for Christians to be genuine
Christians, they had to deny themselves, forsake all, take up their crosses and
follow Jesus. And taking up your cross daily also involves suffering:
1 Peter 2:21 – For even
hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
example, that ye should follow his steps:
Romans 1:2 – (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy
scriptures,)
Either the gospel was promised, or
more likely, Jesus Christ came as promised (see Vs 3) in order to present His
gospel. Many prophecies deal with both the coming of Jesus and the salvation
that He would declare to them (His gospel).
Romans 1:3 – Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made
of the seed of David according to the flesh;
We know from the Old Testament that
Jesus was indeed born of the royal line of King David, and, through Mary, a
direct blood (flesh) descendant.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 – 5 Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall
reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall
dwell safely: and this {is} his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
was made – ginomai
(come to pass, be made, to come into existence) This doesn’t mean that Jesus’ sonship only began at His conception, but instead means
that His human nature (His incarnation) began. He became a Man of the seed of David
according to the flesh. This assumes His pre-existence before His birth, but
not according to the flesh (that is, incarnate).
Romans
1:4 – And declared {to be} the Son of God with power, according
to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
This resurrection from the dead
proved the Godhood of Jesus. (The Scriptural context – being made incarnate, or
of the flesh – must assume
fleshly or physical resurrection) proved the Godhood of Jesus.
1 John 4:1-3a – 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. 2 Hereby
know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:
The Jehovah’s Witnesses say that
Jesus only rose in spirit, that His body was dead but He didn’t die! But their
Bible does say that Jesus tells the disciples that He has flesh and bones.
(Luke 24:39 –
See my hands and my feet,
that it is I myself; touch me and
see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones
just as you see that I have. New World
Translation 2013 Edition)
1 Corinthians
15:12-18 – 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead,
how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is
Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then {is} our preaching
vain, and your faith {is} also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because
we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so
be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith {is} vain; ye
are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are
perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of
all men most miserable.
Romans 1:5 – By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to
the faith among all nations, for his name:
The word ‘we’ probably indicates
Paul and not Christians in general. Either grace (God’s favour to Paul) and
apostleship (as an office of service) are two separate gifts, or what is known
as an hendiadys (one idea expressed by a pair of words;
a figure
of speech used for emphasis) which would then name
or style his apostleship as one of ‘grace’. The purpose of Paul’s apostleship
was to take the gospel to people of all nations. This was not just a simple belief
but in that obedience which results from such faith in His name. Note that
Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments.
John 14:15 – If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Note
also that our priesthood (as believers) is to the nations was originally
Israel’s priesthood.
Exodus 19:6 – And ye
shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy
nation. These {are} the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of
Israel.
Romans 1:6 – Among whom are ye also the called
of Jesus Christ:
The people of Rome include the people
among all those nations as stated in Vs 5. Rome was a cosmopolitan city with
more nationalities than any other city of that time. It was the then known centre
of the earth politically speaking. In among all those nations gathered at Rome
were many Christians, a lot of whom one day would be persecuted for that faith that
is mentioned in Vs 5.
called
– klētos (called or invited (to
a banquet or some office); invited to obtain salvation through Christ)
Calvinists
would have that this proves unconditional election, yet this is the same word kletos that is
used in Matthew 22:14 – For many are called, but few {are} chosen.
So, if the “called of Jesus Christ” (Romans1:6) are of the election, then
clearly not all thus called may actually be chosen! (Noting that those who are
chosen in Matthew 22:14 are a smaller group than those who are called – kletos. If these
are indeed the elect, then some of the elect are going to miss out on heaven!)
Also, it can be demonstrated that
the foreknowledge (prognosis) of God
is used to determine the election of believers – 1
Peter 2a – Elect according to the foreknowledge
(prognosis)
of God the Father)
(Which makes a mockery of MacArthur’s church
doctrinal statement which says that All whom the Father calls to
Himself will come in faith and all who come in faith the Father will receive, if not
all who are ‘called’ end up being ‘chosen’!)
We
as Christians are the called of Jesus Christ, but not
in the sense of unconditional election. We are called because God has chosen us
in Him (according to His foreknowledge) in response to our acceptance by faith
of His promises in Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:7 – To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called {to be} saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note that all God’s children are
called to be saints, the beloved of God. Also,
Paul here gives his standard greeting, also found in 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians and Philemon, 1 & 2
Timothy and Titus. with only slight variations in places. (This
is one reason why many scholars believe Hebrews wasn’t written by Paul, because
it completely omits any such greeting. We’ll cover this aspect more thoroughly
when we study Hebrews.)
Romans 1:8 – First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that
your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
First,
(to start with) – this is not a word of order – there is no ‘second’ in the
book of Romans – but is now the start of the teaching of this epistle. And he
begins by praising them for their faith that is noted throughout the known
world at that time. It is the testimony of the Christians of Rome, that their
faith was worth noting. We may assume that this is a positive note. It is worth
mentioning that during the persecution of the Russian church (most notable for
much of the second half of the 20th century) that a saying
circulated concerning the testimony of Christians. Many of these people had lost
jobs, families (including their children), freedom and even their lives for
their testimony because they had been found guilty of one of the greatest
crimes against the state at that time – to be a Christian. They used to say
that this was the true test of being a Christian. “If you were put on trial for
being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
In
Paul’s day, and especially following, Rome was a major centre for persecution.
Many martyrs were sacrificed for their faith. Today Rome is a centre of
apostasy but it wasn’t always so. The early Christians were so committed to
serving God that they would rather die than back down and deny Jesus Christ.
Romans 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;
Note that God is witness to
everything we do, say and think! Be very careful before using this as proof of
innocence, as so many attempt today! I all too often hear someone say in their defence, that “I am innocent as God is my witness!”
However, more often than not, it seems that such are more
guilty than innocent!
But God is truly Paul’s witness;
Paul serves the One who is his witness. And Paul’s service is for the
gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the foundational truth that underlies every
other service we do for God. Remove the gospel and you remove all effective
service for God. This is the main area of attack from cults – take the power of
the gospel away and you destroy the rest of the truth. (See Vs 16 further on).
For
this reason and others Paul prayed for them. Does God answer our prayer for others?
Why does it seem that we find so many prayers not answered over time? Are they
not according to God’s will, or perhaps we are missing something, like
suffering, perhaps?
1 Corinthians 9:12b – Nevertheless
we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the
gospel of Christ.
And we know that Paul’s service
included much suffering. Clearly there’s a connection between suffering for
Christ and having authority in His name.
Romans 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.
Paul
is genuinely concerned for their well-being and establishment in the faith. How
does this compare with modern-day high-profile evangelists with their almost
constant demands for “support”, especially financial? Paul wants to come and
see them, not just to be satisfied with hearing that they are Christians, but
to counsel them personally. It is one thing to pray and ask God to bless the
lost with salvation. But how many actually will be saved by such “armchair
missionaries”? He doesn’t ask for money, either (note how this would go down
with the likes of “dollar-sign” Brian – “you need more money” – Housten). Instead, Paul worked as a tent-maker (Acts 18:3) in
order to not be a burden on the finances of his listeners. Paul went the extra
mile, as the saying goes, and didn’t request their life-savings for his service
(which was still his right).
1 Corinthians 9:11-12; 18 – 11 If we have sown unto you
spiritual things, {is it} a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of {this} power over you, {are}
not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this
power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. …… 18 What is my reward then? {Verily} that, when I preach
the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my
power in the gospel.
Romans 1:11 – For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual
gift, to the end ye may be established;
What
spiritual gift is Paul talking about? Not the charisma of 1 Corinthians 12, as these are given by the Holy Spirit
when we are baptised by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ as new
Christians. However, the word used for ‘spiritual gift’ here is the same word –
charisma – but is more likely to be encouragement, or the
ministering of some spiritual gift of Paul, for the Christians at Rome. Note
the following:
1 Peter 4:10-11 – 10 As every man hath received the gift, {even so}
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of
God. 11 If any man speak,
{let him speak} as the oracles of God; if any man minister, {let him do it} as
of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified
through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.
The
purpose isn’t necessarily to make Paul feel good, but to see them established. This
is an act of unselfishness. Paul’s purpose for ministry is, apart from service
for God, to serve others. This flies in the face of today’s high-profile
‘teachers’ and ‘preachers’ who appear to be doing their service for their own
benefit.
Romans 1:12 – That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual
faith both of you and me.
However,
even though Paul desires to encourage them, he acknowledges that their
encouragement would in return encourage him. Note the word ‘mutual’.
Hebrews 3:13 – But
exhort one another daily, while it is called To day;
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Our
treatments of others also rebounds back toward us.
Matthew 7:12 – Therefore
all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to
them: for this is the law and the prophets.
We will also reap what we sow. If we sow greed, then we will
produce a crop of greed. If we sow faithful service, then we will reap
likewise.
Galatians 6:7-10 – 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his
flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth
to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due
season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto
all {men}, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Romans 1:13 – Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I
purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit
among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
Paul
had desired to come to them before now but had been hindered. There is no suggestion
that this hindering might have been bad. However, Paul would have accepted this
as God’s working and perfect timing in his ministry to those at Rome.
Romans 8:28 – And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to {his} purpose.
He
also says that he desires some fruit among them – this means not just for the
benefit of those already Christian at Rome but to convert more ‘fruit’. Paul
sees the harvest is ripe. And when the harvest is ripe, it should not be
wasted.
John 4:35
– Say not ye, There are yet four months, and {then} cometh harvest?
behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are
white already to harvest.
Romans 1:14 – I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to
the wise, and to the unwise.
Paul
doesn’t desire this for his own benefit, either; he owes a debt to the Greeks
and barbarians (that is, the Gentiles in general). He is not looking to get
rich, but to repay a debt, something today’s Christian leaders might have some
big difficulty with! Paul is a rare Christian who sees his ministry as
insufficient to pay back what God has done for him. In Australia
today we see so much of the opposite – that people seem to be expecting God to
be grateful for their service to Him! They seem to want more, rather
than give more.
The
gospel is not just to those with learning, or just to the foolish, but to all
classes of understanding; the gospel is for all people, both wise and unwise.
And Paul’s debt is ultimately to the gospel that saved him.
Romans 1:15 – So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you
that are at Rome also.
So Paul is ready to give his all to repay that debt, by
preaching the gospel to those in Rome, so many of whom haven’t yet heard the
gospel of Jesus Christ. “So much as in me is …..” Paul is
willing to give his all, and eventually does give his all for the service of
Christ in Rome. His desire to preach the gospel in Rome will cost him his life
around ten years after this epistle was written.
Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
How
many Christians are ashamed of being Christians? But Paul notes that the real
power of God for salvation is through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This
is the gospel
-
Romans 10:8-17 – 8
But
what saith it? The word is nigh thee, {even} in thy
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9
That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10
For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation. 11
For
the scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there
is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14
How
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? 15
And
how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they
have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith,
Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then
faith {cometh} by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It’s
for all who believe, and that doesn’t mean the unconditional election as calvinists
such as MacArthur teach. Calvinism teaches that we must be saved first
(regenerated) before we can believe, but the real power of the gospel is for
those who believe in order to be saved. Believing comes before salvation (see
Romans 10:9 above). It’s also for the Jew and the Gentile (Greek). Not one
person is excluded! This is why ‘christian’-cults
remove the gospel of Jesus Christ from their belief system. In doing so they
remove the power of the gospel which is the truth upon which every other
Christian doctrine rests. Every belief system that changes the gospel from that
taught in the Bible to one of their own making can be defined as a cult.
Some
general indicators for the identification of cults include:
- the gospel is changed
to suit their teachings; thus another gospel.
- the role of Jesus
Christ is minimised or removed altogether.
- you have to belong to
their group to be ‘saved’ (exclusivism).
It’s
interesting to note that calvinism has (a) another gospel (you are saved before
you can believe in Christ), (b) the cross of Jesus Christ has been replaced by
the “Mother church” of Calvin’s institutes, and (c) you have to belong to their
“elect” in order to be saved.
Romans 1:17 – For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
The quote is from Habakkuk 2:4 (the
proud without faith vs the just who live by faith)
from
faith to faith
– a response of man to God’s promises. Righteousness revealed by faith
to bring more faith? The word ‘from’ can be translated as ‘by’.
“The
just shall live by faith” is hard to explain if faith is merely a gift, because
our just and righteous living would be by God’s ordination, by God’s decree, and
thus couldn’t be pleasing to God as per Hebrews
11:6 – But without faith {it is} impossible to
please {him}: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and {that} he
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
How
could we please God if He were required by His sovereignty to firstly give us
that faith by which we might please Him? As the saying goes: It’s the thought
that counts. However, if we can only act according to the ordination of God,
then the thought here cannot exist unless God has decreed it for us!
The
first half of Romans 1 deals with the gospel and how it is an absolute,
essential to service for God. For some time after seeing how hyper-calvinism
was aggressively trying to take over fundamentalist churches, I wondered what
the benefit to satan could be. I had seen a pattern in that the gospel was
effectively being replaced with “the election”. For the calvinist, the gospel
is irrelevant for the ‘elect’ (they have to be ‘regenerated’ before they can
‘hear’ the gospel) and the gospel doesn’t even exist for the ‘non-elect’
(according to the calvinist, Jesus only died to pay for the sins of the ‘elect’;
even if the ‘non-elect’ wished to be saved, they can’t be, because God
allegedly hasn’t made any provision for their sins to be paid!
It
is apparent why some calvinists openly state that it is foolishness to
evangelise the lost. Many Presbyterian churches – a calvinist (they prefer the
term ‘reformed’) denomination – teach that street preaching, or handing out
tracts, or evangelising outside the church building, or outside the authority
of the mother church, is not permitted by God. Yet the Bible says that he who
wins souls is wise – Proverbs 11:30.
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