Reading through Romans-No law=no transgression

"For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression."

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law: Since all God's dealings with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob happened before the giving of the Mosaic Law, we can't say they were based on the law. Instead, they are based on God's declaration of Abraham's righteousness through faith.

For the promise … through the righteousness of faith: The law cannot bring us into the blessings of God's promises. This is not because the law is bad, but because we are unable to keep it.

Because the law brings about wrath: Our inability to keep the law (our transgression) means that it becomes essentially a vehicle of God's wrath towards us, if we regard it as the principle by which we are justified and relate to God.

How can Paul say, where there is no law there is no transgression? Because "Transgression is the right word for overstepping a line, and this for breaking a clearly defined commandment." (Morris) Where there is no line, there is no actual transgression.

There is sin that is not the "crossing of the line" of the Law of Moses. The root of sin isn't in breaking the law, but in breaking trust with God; with denying His loving, caring purpose in every command He gives. Before Adam sinned he broke trust with God - therefore God's plan of redemption is centered on a relationship of trusting love - faith - instead of law-keeping. When we center our relationship with God on law-keeping instead of trusting love, we go against His whole plan.

Dear God, Thank you for desiring my relationship with you more than law-keeping!  I adore your loving Holiness!

Reading through Romans-Righteous apart from ordinances

"Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised."

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? If we are counted righteous by God because of faith, not because of circumcision (or any other ritual), then the blessedness mentioned in Romans 4:7 can be given to the uncircumcised Gentiles by faith.

How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Abraham was counted as righteous in Genesis 15:6. He did not receive the covenant of circumcision until Genesis 17, which was at least 14 years later. Therefore his righteousness wasn't based on circumcision, but on faith.

The faith which he had while still uncircumcised: In fact, Abraham, the father of all those who believe, was declared righteous while he was still uncircumcised! How can anyone then say (as some did in Paul's day) that Gentiles must be circumcised before God declares them righteous?

For the Jewish people of Paul's day, the significance of circumcision was more than social. It was the entry point for a life lived under the Law of Moses: And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. (Galatians 5:3)

That he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised … who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised: The Jews of Paul's day wanted to use circumcision to declare that they were the true decedents of Abraham. Paul insists that to have Abraham as your father, you must walk in the steps of the faith that Abraham walked in.

William Barclay explains that the Jewish teachers of Paul's day had a saying "What is written of Abraham is also written of his children," meaning that promises given to Abraham extend to his descendants. Paul heartily agreed with this principle, and extended the principle of being justified by faith to all Abraham's spiritual descendants, those who believe, who also walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham.

Dear Holy and Loving God, Thank you for the righteousness that is imputed to me by faith and not by any ordinance!  I have faith in your word as it says:

Col 2:13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross"

Praise be to your Holy name!

Reading through Romans-What does impute mean?

"Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."

Just as David also describes: King David of the Old Testament knew what it was like to be a guilty sinner; he knew the seriousness of sin and how good it is to be truly forgiven. He knew the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. If David were judged on works alone, the righteous God must condemn him. Nevertheless he knew by experience that blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven.

"No sinner, and try he ever so hard, can possibly carry his own sins away and come back cleansed of guilt. No amount of money, no science, no inventive skill, no armies of millions, nor any other earthly power can carry away from the sinner one little sin and its guilt. Once it is committed, every sin and its guilt cling to the sinner as close as does his own shadow, cling to all eternity unless God carries them away." (Lenski)

To whom God imputes righteousness apart from works … blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin: David agrees with Abraham regarding the idea of an imputed righteousness, a goodness that is given, not earned.

"Our adversaries the papists oppose the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us; they cavil at the very word … and yet the apostle useth the word ten times in this chapter." (Poole)

In the Psalm quoted (Psalm 32:1-2), David speaks of the blessedness, not of the one who is justified through works, but of the one who is cleansed through imputation. This is centered on what God places upon us (the righteousness of Jesus), not on what we can do for God.

Dear Holy God, Thank you for imputing your righteousness upon me!  My heart is filled with love and gratitude for you!

Reading through Romans-Faith=Righteousness

"Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,"

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace: The idea of grace stands opposite to the principle of works; grace has to do with receiving the freely given gift of God, works has to do with earning our merit before God.

b. Not counted as grace but as debt: A system of works seeks to put God in debt to us, to have God owe us His favor because of our good behavior. In works-thinking, God owes us salvation or blessing because of our good works.

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness: Righteousness can never be accounted to the one who approaches God on the principle of works. Instead it is given to the one who believes on Him who justifies the ungodly.

What a loving Holy God!  Thank you for counting me righteous because of my faith and not my works.  I praise your Holy Name!

Reading through Romans-Righteous through faith

"What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

What then shall we say: In building on the thought begun in Romans 3:31 Paul asks the question, "Does the idea of justification through faith, apart from the works of the law, make what God did in the Old Testament irrelevant?"

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about: If anyone could be justified by works, they would have something to boast about. Nevertheless such boasting is nothing before God (but not before God).

This boasting is nothing before God because even if works could justify a man he would still, in some way, fall short of the glory of God.(Romans 3:23)

This boasting is nothing because before God, every pretense is stripped away and it is evident that no one can really be justified by works.

For what does the Scripture say? The Old Testament does not say Abraham was declared righteous because of his works. Instead, Genesis 15:6 says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Paul makes it clear: Abraham's righteousness did not come from his performance of good works, but from his belief in God. It was a righteousness obtained through faith.

The Apostle Paul does not say that Abraham was made righteous in all of his doings, but God accounted Abraham as righteous. Our justification is not God making us perfectly righteous, but counting us as perfectly righteous. After we are counted righteous, then God begins making us truly righteous, culminating in our resurrection.

Dear Holy God, I stand in awe at your Holy righteousness!  Thank you for counting me righteousness because of my faith in Jesus Christ.  Help me to remember that every time I feel tempted to boast that I have nothing to boast of but my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Reading through Romans-Voiding the Law?

"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law."

Do we then make void the law through faith? We can see how someone might ask this. "If the law doesn't make us righteous, what good is it? Paul, you have just made the law void. You are going against the law of God."

Certainly not! Of course, Paul does not make void the law. As the Apostle will demonstrate in Romans 4, the law anticipated the coming gospel of justification by faith, apart from the deeds of the law. Therefore, the gospel establishes the law, fulfilling its own predictions.

Oh Dear Lord, thank you for establishing the gospel through your perfect law.  "Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore."  Praise be to you! 

Reading through Romans-Apart from the law

By Faith

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law."

Justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law: It isn't that we are justified by faith plus whatever deeds of the law we can do. We are justified by faith alone, apart from the deeds of the law.

"Since all works of law are barred out, faith alone is left. Luther so translated, and since his time Sola Fide has become a slogan." (Lenski)

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXB8ihepUpE[/embed]

Apart from the deeds of the law: Doesn't James contradict this in passages like James 2:14-26? How can we say that it is faith alone that saves, apart from the deeds of the law?

It is true faith alone saves, but true faith, saving faith, has a distinct character. It is not just agreeing with certain facts, but it is a directing of the mind and will in agreement with God. The whole purpose of the book of James is to describe the character of this saving faith.

Calvin explains: "What James says, that man is not justified by faith alone, but also by works, does not at all militate against the preceding view [of justification by faith alone]. The reconciling of the two views depends chiefly on the drift of the argument pursued by James. For the question with him is not, how men attain righteousness before God, but how they prove it to others that they are justified; for his object was to confute hypocrites, who vainly boasted that they had faith … James meant no more than that man is not made or proved to be just by a feigned or dead faith, and that he must prove his righteousness by his works."

Oh Dear Lord, THANK YOU for saving me through faith in your works!  Praise be to you alone!

Reading through Romans-Nothing for me to boast about

"Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith."

Where is boasting then? It shouldn't be anywhere. Because we are justified freely by His grace, there is no room for self-congratulation or credit.

By what law? Boasting and pride isn't excluded because there is some specific passage in the law against it. Instead, pride is excluded because it is completely incompatible with the salvation that is freely ours though faith. Boasting is excluded by the law of faith.

No room for boasting! This, of course, is why the natural man hates being justified freely by His grace; it absolutely refuses to recognize his (imagined) merits and gives no place to his pride whatsoever.

Dear God, thank you for freely saving me through faith and not the law.  And thank you for insisting that there is no room for credit for anything I can do...help me to boast in your works on my behalf instead!

Reading through Romans-Propitiation

"Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Whom God set forth as a propitiation: Jesus, by His death (by His blood) was a propitiation (substitute sacrifice) for us. As He was judged in our place, the Father could demonstrate His righteousness in judgment against sin, while sparing those who deserved the judgment.

Wuest on propitiation: "The word in its classical form was used of the act of appeasing the Greek gods by a sacrifice … in other words, the sacrifice was offered to buy off the anger of the god."

d. Whom God set forth as a propitiation: This shows that Jesus somehow appeased a reluctant, unwilling Father to hold back His wrath. Instead, it was God the Father who initiated the propitiation: whom God set forth.

e. God, in His forbearance, had passed over the sins of those Old Testament saints who trusted in the coming Messiah. At the cross, those sins were no longer passed over, they were paid for.

The work of Jesus on the cross freed God from the charge that He passed over sin committed before the cross lightly. They were passed over for a time, but they were finally paid for.

That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus: At the cross, God demonstrated His righteousness by offering man justification (a legal verdict of "not guilty"), while remaining completely just(because the righteous penalty of sin had been paid at the cross).

It's easy to see how God could only be just - simply send every guilty sinner to hell, as a just Judge. It's easy to see how God could only be the justifier - simply tell every guilty sinner, "I declare a pardon. You are all declared 'not guilty.'" But only God could find a way to be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

"Here we learn that God designed to give the most evident displays of both his justice and mercy. Of his justice, in requiring a sacrifice, and absolutely refusing to give salvation to a lost world in any other way; and of his mercy, in providing THE sacrifice which his justice required." (Clarke)

Oh, Dear God, I pray this day in gratitude for both your justice and mercy.  I am grateful beyond words for your complete knowledge of me, even in my sin, and your complete love for me as well.  Thank you for demonstrating both for me on the cross.

Last night's hotel :)

Moving day

Reading through Romans-Free Redemption

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

Being justified: Paul develops his teaching about salvation around three themes.

- Justification: an image from the court of law

- Redemption (an image from the slave market)

- Propitiation (an image from the world of religion, appeasing God through sacrifice)

Justification solves the problem of man's guilt before a righteous Judge.

Redemption solves the problem of man's slavery to sin, the world, and the devil.

Propitiation solves the problem of offending God our Creator.

Even as all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God is universal, so is the offer of being justified freely by His grace. It is open to everyone who will believe.

Morris, quoting Moule: "The harlot, the liar, the murderer, are short of it; but so are you. Perhaps they stand at the bottom of a mine, and you on the crest of an Alp; but you are as little able to touch the stars as they." Everyone falls short, but everyone can be justified freely by His grace.

How do we fall short of the glory of God? It's impossible to describe every way, but here are some important ways man falls short of the glory of God.

We fail to give God the glory due Him, in our words, thoughts and actions.

We fail to qualify for, and thereby reject, the glory and reward that God gives faithful servants.

Justified freely by His grace: Being in such a sinful state, the only way we can be justified is to be justified freely. We can't purchase it with out good works at all. If it isn't made free to us, we can't have it all. So we are justified freely by His grace - His unmerited favor, given to us without regard to what we deserve. It is a giving motivated purely by the giver, and motivated by nothing in the one who receives.

Freely is the Greek word dorean. The way this word is used in other New Testament passages helps us understand the word. Matthew 10:8 (Freely you have received, freely give) and Revelation 22:17 (And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely) show that the word means truly free, not just "cheap" or "discounted." 

Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Again, Paul's gospel centers squarely in Christ Jesus. Salvation is possible because of theredemption found in Him. God cannot give us His righteousness apart from Jesus Christ.

Redemption has the idea of buying back something, and involves cost. However, God pays the cost and so we are justified freely.

The word redemption had its origin in the release of prisoners of war on payment of a price and was know as the "ransom." As time went on, it was extended to include the freeing of slaves, again by the payment of a price.

The idea of redemption means that Jesus bought us, therefore we belong to Him. Paul expressed this thought in another letter: For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Reading through Romans-Righteousness through Faith

"Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;"

To all and on all who believe: In Romans 3:21, Paul told us how this righteousness does not come. It does not come through the deeds of the law, it isapart from the law. Now Paul tells us how this saving righteousness does come. It is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.

Through faith in Jesus Christ: The righteousness of God is not ours by faith; it is ours through faith. We do not earn righteousness by our faith. We receive righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Through faith "points to the fact that faith is not a merit, earning salvation. It is no more than the means through which the gift is given." (Morris)

"But faith is not 'trusting' or 'expecting' God to do something, but relying on His testimony concerning the person of Christ as His Son, and the work of Christ for us on the cross … After saving faith, the life of trust begins … trust is always looking forward to what God will do; but faith sees that what God says has been done, and believes God's Word, having the conviction that it is true, and true for ourselves." (Newell)

For the there is no difference: There is no other way to obtain this righteousness. This righteousness is not earned through obedience to the law; it is a received righteousness, gained through faith in Jesus Christ.

"There is a little book entitled, Every man his own lawyer. Well, nowadays, according to some people, it seems as if every man is to be his own saviour; but if I had, say; a dozen gospels, and I had to sort them out, and give the right gospel to the right man, what a fix I should be in! I believe that, oftentimes, I should be giving your gospel to someone else, and someone else's gospel to you; and what a muddle it would all be! But now we have one universal cure … The blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ will save every man who trusts him, for 'there is no difference.'" (Spurgeon)

Reading Through Romans-But now...

"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.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets"

But now provides the most glorious transition from the judgment of Romans 3:20 to the justification of Romans 3:21.

But now speaks of the newness of God's work in Jesus Christ - it really is a New Covenant. Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets reminds us that there is still continuity with God's work in former times.

Apart from the law: The law cannot save us, but God revealed a righteousness that would save us, apart from the law. This is the essence of God's plan of salvation in Jesus Christ: it is a salvation that is offered apart from the law, apart from our own earning and deserving, apart from our own merits.

Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets: This righteousness is not a novelty. Paul didn't "invent" it. It was predicted long ago, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. The Old Testament said this righteousness was coming.

Apart from the law: It isn't that the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the Old Testament, but that it is revealed apart from the principle of law. It is apart from a legal relationship to God, based on the idea of earning and deserving merit before Him.

God's righteousness is not offered to us as something to take up the slack between our ability to keep the law and God's perfect standard. It is not given to supplement our own righteousness, it is given completely apart from our own attempted righteousness.

THANK YOU DEAR LORD!  For clearly showing me that I cannot determine my own righteousness and then offering righteousness apart from it!!!  All glory be to GOD!

Reading through Romans-The Law Convicts us of Sin

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Whatever the law says: Paul points out that this horrific description of man's utter sinfulness come to us in the law; and it is intended for those under the law, to silence every critic and to demonstrate the universal guilt of mankind - that all the world may become guilty before God.

It says to those who are under the law: If God speaks this way to those who had the law, and attempted to do the law, it is evident that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight: The law cannot save us. The law can't justify anyone. It is useful in giving us the knowledge of sin, but it cannot save us.

Since the time of Adam and Eve, people have tried to justify themselves by the deeds of the law. In the Garden of Eden Adam tried to make himself presentable to God by making coverings out of fig leaves - and he failed. 

This means that even if we could now begin to perfectly keep the law of God it could not make up for past disobedience, or remove present guilt.

This means that keeping law is NOT God's way of salvation or of blessing under the New Covenant.

For by the law is the knowledge of sin: The law sets a standard of righteousness, but because we sin, the law can never tell us that we are righteous. It tells us that we are sinners. According to the law, we are guilty.

Reading through Romans-Guilty Before God

"What then? Are we Jews any better off?2 No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,"

Are we better than they? Not at all: Since Paul was Jewish by birth and heritage (Philippians 3:4-6), when we says "we" he means "we Jews." The point is that by nature, the Jewish person is no more right with God than the pagan or the moralist. Paul has demonstrated that the pagan, the moralist and the Jew are all under sin and therefore, under condemnation.

“None is righteous, no, not one;" 

There is none righteous, no, not one: When God finds none righteous, it is because there are none. It isn't as if there were some and God couldn't see them. There has never been a truly righteous man apart from Jesus Christ. "Even Adam was not righteous: he was innocent - not knowing good and evil."

"11  no one understands; no one seeks for God."

There is none who seeks after God: We deceive ourselves into thinking that man, on his own, really does seek after God. Don't all the religion and rituals and practices from the beginning of time demonstrate that man seeks after God? Not at all. If man initiates the search then he doesn't seek the true God, the God of the Bible. Instead he seeks an idol that he makes himself.

"12  All have turned aside; together they have become unprofitable; no one does good, not even one.”"

They have together become unprofitable: The word unprofitable has the idea of rotten fruit. It speaks of something that was permanently bad and therefore useless.

Paul calls virtually every part of man's body into guilt: throat,tongue,lips,mouth,feet,eyes are all shown to be filled with sin and rebellion against God.

13  “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips.

14  Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.

15  Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16  in their paths are ruin and misery,

17  and the way of peace they have not known.

18  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

There is no fear of God before their eyes: This summarizes the entire thought. Every sin and rebellion against God happens because we do not have a proper respect for Him. Wherever there is sin, there is no fear of God.

Dear God, I have rebelled against you and every part of my body has sinned against you.  I stand guilty before you.

Reading through Romans-Do evil to glorify God?

"6 "By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just."

Paul agrees that manipulating the nature of God's righteousness to our benefit is the height of sinfulness.

"Twisting the glorious free gift of God in Jesus into a supposed license to sin is perhaps the summit of man's depravity. It takes the most beautiful gift of God and perverts it and mocks it. This twisting is so sinful Paul saves it for last, because it is beyond the depravity of the pagan (Romans 1:24-32) and beyond the hypocrisy of the moralist (Romans 2:1-5)."

Oh Dear Lord, I pray Psalm 97:10 over my life this day:

"Let me who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked."