Equipped For Every Good Work

Lesson 59

ROMANS

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, ... to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints." (Rom. 1:1-7) These verses of salutation prefacing this masterly epistle identify the sender and the receivers. By the time Paul wrote this letter to the Christian congregation in Rome he had proved himself a most zealous "servant of Jesus Christ" and surely "not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles". On what basis may this be said? On the basis of his field service record. He had previously completed two extensive preaching tours in 'discipling all nations', and at the time of writing to the Romans he was far from his home base of Syrian Antioch and in the midst of his third journey. Evidently he wrote from Corinth, as he mentions Gaius and Erastus, inhabitants of Corinth, as being with him. (16:23; 1 Cor. 1:14;,! 2 Tim. 4: 20) He also commended to them Phoebe of near-

by Cenchrea, whom he very possibly used to deliver the epistle to the congregation in Rome. (16:1, 2) The best available evidence tends to locate Paul's three-month stay in and around the Grecian city of Corinth during the winter of A.D. 55-56; and hence fixes approximately the time of writing for the book of Romans. — Acts 20: 2, 3; 1 Cor. 16: 6.

As to the receivers of the epistle, the company of Jehovah's witnesses in Rome, it may be said that their congregation was composed of both Jews and Gentiles. (1:13; 2:17-29; 4:1; 7:1; 11:13) At that time Jews were numerous in Rome. About A.D. 50 they were banished from the city by Claudius Caesar (Acts 18: 2), but had returned by the time of Paul's epistle to the Romans (Rom. 16: 3). A few years later, when Paul was a prisoner in Rome, Jews were there in some force. (Acts 28:17) The fourteenth chapter seems designed to iron out some misunderstanding existing between the Gentile and Jewish groups of the congregation in Rome. The tenor of the entire letter seems to be to place Jews and Gentiles on an exact equality before God. Not by the law, but by faith in Christ Jesus and by God's grace comes justification. This was the burden of the letter to the Christian congregation in Rome.

A question of interest bobs up at this point: How did the gospel first reach Rome and a Christian company become established there? The prejudiced howls of the Catholic Hierarchy that it was through the visit of the apostle Peter may be brushed aside without serious consideration; not the slightest shred of evidence exists to support their claim. It is a sheer manufactured tradition that Peter was the city's first "bishop" whose successors continue to this day. In his letter to the Romans Paul does not give credit to Peter for establishing the congregation there. Although he mentions thirty-five names in the letter, and sends greetings by name to twenty-six, he neither mentions nor sends greetings to Peter. (Chapter 16) The Bible record is, however, that on Pentecost when the holy spirit was poured

out (A.D. 33), among those who heard Peter's discourse and the gospel preached in many tongues were certain "visitors from Rome". (Acts 2:10, Goodspeed) Those on returning to Rome could easily have founded the first Christian church there.

Thereafter the Jews spread throughout the Roman empire; some of them were Christianized and might have done, further preaching in Rome. Two Jews to whom Paul preached in Corinth and who believed later returned to Rome, and doubtless they passed on to the Roman congregation the message as declared by Paul. (Acts 18: 2; Rom. 16:3) Furthermore, it seems that Paul was personally acquainted with twenty-six members of the congregation in Rome; they relayed the apostle's words to the Christians there. Thus the congregation in the capital of the sixth world power was probably established and nourished. Paul, not Peter, was the "apostle of the Gentiles"; Paul, not Peter, was the one Christ Jesus said must go to Rome to bear witness; and it was Paul, not Peter, who wrote the letter to the Romans to strengthen their faith and safeguard them against entanglement in a religious yoke of bondage. Paul, and not Peter, was the one who felt responsibility to thus write them. — Acts 23:11; Rom. 15:14-16.

Paul met the responsibility by writing, through Tertius' hand, one of the finest epistles in the Greek Scriptures. After an introduction of himself and his apostleship, and a salutation to those "called to be saints" in Rome, Paul expresses his warm interest in the church at Rome and his fervent desire to visit them. The ungodliness of men is condemned as inexcusable, because, though invisible to men, God's power and eternalness and sovereignty are clearly seen in His mighty works of creation. Instead of worshiping the Creator, they foolishly make gods of created things, and sink ever deeper into degradation and unrighteousness. Death awaits them. (1: 9-32) But if Gentiles do these things, the Jews should not judge hastily and pronounce the sinners unworthy of hearing the gospel. Self-examina-

tion may reveal like sins in the harsh judger. Bear in mind that God is no respecter of persons, but Jew and Gentile are recompensed according to deeds. Jews inclined to boast in the law should remember that it is not the hearers of the law that are just before God, but the doers. — 2: 1-29.

All mankind are swept up in Paul's quotation, "There is none righteous, no, not one." The sum and substance of the matter is that none can be justified by the works of the law, that righteousness and justification come only by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, that thus boasting in works of the law is excluded, and that both Jew and Gentile are justified by faith. (3:1-31) The "apostle draws Hacking for his argument from history, from the case of Abraham. Justification was imputed or credited to him in that he had a standing before God, but that standing did not come by the law or by works. He was counted righteous because of his faith, exemplary faith. — 4:1-25.

The fifth chapter discloses reconciliation by Christ. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Death reigned from Adam to Moses. When the law was given, death still reigned and sin abounded. But if sin abounded, then God's grace in providing Christ Jesus increased even more. By Adam's sin death came upon all men, but through the righteousness of the perfect Jesus all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, receive justification of life. But lest anyone twist his argument to give license to wanton sin, Paul proceeds in the next chapter to show that those baptized into Christ Jesus are dead to sin, must not live in sin, but must walk in newness of life, living unto God. Being made free from sin, they must no longer serve or be enslaved by sin. "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Through the illustration of a Jewish married couple and freedom gained by death, Paul shows the freedom of Christian heirs of the Kingdom from the old law covenant. They are dead to the law and free to be married to another, even

Christ. Sin dwells in imperfect carnal bodies, and the law made this sin known and convicted the doers of it as subject to death. All the good intentions in the world could not make sinful bodies meet God's perfect and righteous law, but deliverance from the law of sin in our members comes by divine grace through Christ Jesus. (7:1-25) Frail flesh could merit only death under the law, but those in Christ walk not in the flesh but in the spirit. Thus they are led by the spirit and begotten as sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ. The spirit aids the Christian to overcome infirmities, and in the end it is God that justifieth. With such divine help, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Nothing; we are "more than conquerors".  — 8:1-39.

In the ninth chapter Paul expresses sorrow for the Jews, but shows that Israel after the flesh is not the Israel of God. Not children according to the flesh or law, but children according to promise, these are the ones who make up the true seed with Messiah Christ. Only a remnant of Israel after the flesh attain this, and the predestinated number of Seed-associates is filled out by calling in the Gentiles. Stumbling over Messiah or Christ and doggedly seeking to establish their own righteousness by works of the law, the majority of the Jews thus fell short. (9:1-33) They refused to see in Christ the end of the old law covenant. Now salvation was to be open to all through Christ; now difference between Jew and Gentile was gone. Salvation is through confession, and calling upon the name of the Lord. To enable all human creatures to so call upon the Lord and establish faith, preachers of the truth are sent into all nations. — 10:1-21.

Though a remnant of Israel were transferred to Christ, the majority were ensnared by their own table of righteousness by works and by tradition. Through the Jews' fall, opportunities of Christian inheritance are extended to Gentiles; but these must not boast, because if God spared not the natural branches of Israel he certainly would not

spare the branches grafted in from the Gentiles if they become heady and highminded. (11:1-36) Following up this counsel, Paul gives divers exhortations. Present consecrated bodies as a living sacrifice, which is reasonable service! Don't conform to this wicked world, but be transformed by renovating the mind through study of God's will! Don't think too highly of yourself, because we are all members of the one body of Christ with different services to perform! In honor prefer one another, serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be hospitable, be not wise in your own conceits, and do not seek to avenge yourself. Moreover, be subject always to the Higher Powers, Jehovah God and Christ His King. Don't judge another man's servant; each one stands or falls to his own master. — 12:1-14: 23.

Paul closes his epistle with a discussion of his apostle-ship unto the Gentiles, his past course of action in preaching, his desire to see the congregation at Rome en route to Spain, but that this must wait till he has delivered to Jerusalem a relief fund for the Lord's poor in Judea, and finally a list of greetings to acquaintances in Rome. (15:1-16:27) This letter to the Romans is the most comprehensive presentation of the message or gospel that Paul preached.