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UA-NT-10 Essay on Romans 1-4
Written by Eddie Sharp Monday, 01 March 2010
Mark wrote a gospel for the Roman mind. Paul writes a letter to the Christians in Rome. At the point Paul writes this letter, he has never been to Rome. He wants to visit the Christians in Rome to bring them some spiritual gifts. In writing this letter to the Romans, Paul, empowered by the Holy Spirit in many ways, gave all Christians everywhere in all ages a great spiritual gift.
Paul writes Romans to speak to a dispute between the Jewish and Roman Christians. In so doing he creates the clearest, most systematic statement of the nature of salvation in Christ. This week we get to read this great work.
Paul begins with a statement that the salvation offered in Christ is by faith from beginning to end. He follows the opening with a discussion of why all are in need in of salvation by grace through faith. Not one Gentile is saved by perfect behavior. Not one Jew is saved by perfect law keeping. The Gentiles have exchanged the worship of God for a love of the created world. The Jews have received the law, but are not living by it.
The summation is that: “There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….” This sounds like bad news, but it is a clear diagnosis that leads to a perfect remedy: “…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” We receive the benefit of the sacrifice of Jesus by faith.
In chapter 4 Paul uses Old Testament heroes to exhibit the fact that salvation by faith is older than the law. Abraham is given credit for being righteous because he is faithful. David knows that a person can live in a state of grace, which is a state of blessedness given to those to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. We are privileged to know the story of these ancients. Even better, we get to be saved on the same basis as they were saved—faith credited to us as righteousness.
