Paul and the Letter to the Romans, Part 2
By David Hulme
This is Part 2 of a series on the book of Romans. The overall outline of Romans may be viewed as eight large blocks of material, as seen in Cranfield’s two-volume work in the International Critical Commentary series. The first four blocks were covered in Part 1 of this article. In Part 2 we begin with the fifth section. (Scripture references are New King James Version throughout, unless otherwise noted.)
Early in the book of Romans, we see that only God the Father can initiate the process of calling, justifying and forgiving human beings. This is in response to recognition of the need for the penalty of human sin to be paid by Christ, and of reconciling us to the Father. There is nothing that humans can do of themselves to be made right with the Father. Even faith express toward Him is a gift from Him. He is responsible for granting the new relationship with Him.
The Life Promised for Those Who Are Righteous by Faith
This section is concerned with four consequences of the new converted state for daily living:
- peace with God,
- a life set apart,
- freedom from the death penalty for sin,
- the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The passages in chapter 5:1–11 and 12–21 explain how believers have arrived at peace with God and what it leads to in turn:
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1; New King James Version throughout, unless otherwise noted).
When God the Father sets the process of justification in motion, followers move from being under His wrath to being made right before Him, and peace with Him is an outcome. The letter shows that Jesus Christ is central to this development, and that hope is an important aspect.
The Father is the prime mover. He grants undeserved forgiveness and reconciliation with Him through His Son, as believers make progress toward the time of becoming spirit:
“Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and . . . character; and, . . . hope. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:2–4, 10–11).
This present life is not going to be easy even after we have been made right with God. But there is every reason for hope and reason to rejoice on both counts. All of this is about those called to be followers now.
Contrasting Christ and Adam
Next is a discussion about Christ and Adam. It’s the huge contrast between them, in terms of what they do, that is stressed.
We achieve peace with God because He grants undeserved rightness before Him — it’s a universal truth that applies to all humanity as God wills to call them in His time. Adam’s disobedience marked sin’s entry into the human story. Christ’s death and resurrection was the beginning of the way out of the problem:
“Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5:12, 18).
Adam was the first to walk down the path of being dominated by human nature, giving in to the deceptions created by Satan. But it was not just Adam — “all sinned.” Christ’s role completely overturns the effect of Satan’s involvement and Adam and humanity’s compliance with him. This overturn applies to all people, but each must choose to accept God’s way and Christ’s sacrifice. And this opens up the possibility of eternal life for humanity.
The next section, chapter 6, describes how this present life is changed in terms of individuals being set apart or sanctified (made holy), once they have been reconciled. This is the second consequence of being justified, made right by faith. Verses 1–14 are concerned with the implications of being freed from a sinful way of life, living a new way in replacement — the way of obedience to God.
Putting Away the Old Man
Believers are no longer under the death sentence of the law, because forgiveness is possible through recognition of what sin is (defined by law) and acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice for breaking that law (sinning). This understanding demands that followers live a different way.
Baptism by immersion (in a watery grave — putting to death “the old man” or former way of life) is part of the process of coming to accept responsibility for a sinful way of living and beginning a new life of obedience — coming out of the water spiritually cleansed:
“Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3–4).
Temptation to go the wrong way is still going to rear its head, but with God’s help, believers are to do all they can to stop it in its tracks. They will want Christ to live in them. Cranfield’s translation makes this clear:
“So then recognize the truth that you yourselves are dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Stop, then, allowing sin to reign unopposed in your mortal selves in such a way that you obey the self’s desires, and stop placing your members at the disposal of sin as tools of unrighteousness; instead, place yourselves at the disposal of God as being alive from the dead and your members at God’s disposal as tools of righteousness” (Romans 6:11–13).
Believers are not under the penalty of the law, but under God’s gracious pardon and given help to live the right way (verse 14). No longer slaves to sin, they are now slaves of right ways of living (verses 15–23). They must make a choice between two masters. Paul was not talking about being free to do just anything, but about being free to follow God’s way — to be obedient to Him. The summation is familiar:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Freedom From the Death Penalty
A third consequence of living the new life is that followers are free from the law’s death penalty. The details are found in chapter 7:1–25.
Many read the statement about not being under law as meaning the law itself is no longer in force, because Christ kept it for humanity. But that conclusion ignores a number of things that Paul has said so far. Cranfield states emphatically:
“The life promised for the man who is righteous by faith is, in the third place, described as a life characterized by freedom from the law, that is, from the law in the limited sense of the-law-as-condemning or the law’s condemnation.”
The law’s condemnation is the death penalty for its breaking. For those who have accepted Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death in their place, this makes sense:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
Believers must go on living according to the Father’s requirements, including His commandments (chapter 6). That way is defined by keeping the law in the letter and more importantly, according to its spiritual intent.
To explain this Paul gives the example of a woman who is married and then made free from the law pertaining to marriage when her husband dies. The point is not that the law of marriage is no longer to be kept, but that there is a change in her relationship to the law governing marriage. The discussion of the marriage law is not an allegory, but an example to help explain the first verse. Paul’s conclusion is: “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another — to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Romans 7:4).
Notice it is the forgiven who have died to the law, not the law that has died. The follower of Christ has died to the penalty and must walk in a new way. This is consistent with chapter 6:2–4.
Newness of the Spirit
“But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6).
The “oldness of the letter” is contrasted with serving in the new way of life lived by the Spirit of God. When the Spirit is active in a person he or she will live according to the law’s spiritual intent, not merely living narrowly according to the strict letter that limits the law’s spiritual application. This accords with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5, where He amplified the law by explaining its spiritual intent. The letter does not mean “the law” itself. It is rather speaking to a narrow understanding of what God requires by giving His law. One can keep the letter of the law and still miss the spiritual intent, not desiring to practice it according to its amplified and deeper meaning.
In the second part of Chapter 7 we find Paul’s clarification of how the law should be viewed, lest anyone think that the law is evil and identified with sin. The problem lies with humanity’s natural response. Here, Paul confesses how difficult it is for human beings generally (7:7–13) and for followers of Christ (7:14–25) and takes as his example the commandment against coveting:
“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. . . . And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:7–8, 10–12).
Through Jesus Christ
The law allowed Paul to know what sin is by defining it. But once it was defined for him, when he did sin by coveting, it was worse than before — because now he really knew what he was doing. The problem is not with the law, but with us. The law remains a holy, just and good thing. He repeats this in verse 14, and now opens up the real problem for followers of Christ:
“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. . . . I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:14–15, 21–25).
It has been difficult for some to accept that Paul could be speaking of himself as a converted person here, but the language points exactly to that conclusion. The problem is that the more aware converted people are of the weakness of being human, the more sensitive they become to the difficulty of living this life without help. There is a brief comment about how this problem can be solved (verse 25: “through Jesus Christ”), but it is in Chapter 8 that the answer is fleshed out. This spells out the fourth consequence of being made right before God by faith — living a life characterized by the indwelling of God’s Spirit.
There are four sections in this chapter:
a) The Spirit Within (verses 1–11),
b) Father and Children (verses 12–16).
c) Hope (verses 17–30),
d) Conclusion (verses 31–39).
Enabled by the Spirit
Paul begins by restating that life in Christ sets the follower free from the law’s death penalty:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
This continues not from the last verse in chapter 7, but from verse 6: “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6).
Again, this freedom from condemnation is due to Christ having paid the penalty of sin. Importantly, chapter 8:4 states that the law has a righteous requirement that the Spirit allows the converted person to fulfill.
Cranfield comments, “What God’s gift of His Spirit has brought about (verse 2) is nothing less than a beginning of the fulfillment of the divine purpose of Christ’s work, namely, the establishment of God’s law in the life of believers.”
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3–4).
The keeping of the law is a New Testament requirement for those who are living under God’s continuing unmerited pardon or grace. This is very important because it helps followers see that of themselves they do not achieve the keeping of the law in the spirit on any level apart from the Spirit at work in them. The Spirit enables them to choose the things of the Spirit against the things of the flesh. But no one can do it perfectly because of what Paul has already written about human weakness in Chapter 7.
If believers are to be Christ-like human beings, then they must function as He did when He lived on earth. Holiness or sanctification — setting apart — is about keeping God’s law in the Spirit: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who [that] dwells in you” (Romans 8:5–11).
Abba, Father
Next Paul explains the relationship with God as Father because of the Spirit within, and what this means in practical terms of keeping the law in the Spirit:
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors — not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself [the Greek is neuter — “itself”] bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:12–16).
Putting to death the deeds of the body indicates active participation with the Spirit’s leading. If allowed, the Spirit of God leads to right action and conviction about being a child of God. This relationship with God is not one of fear and anxiety, but rather as if He has adopted the believer as His own children through connection with Christ His Son. This is the One we can call on with the warm, familiar term — Abba — the Aramaic word Jesus used for Father (Mark 14:36). There is surely no problem with wanting to live the law of such a Father with sincerity and wholeheartedness, in active obedience to His way, with a life characterized by enacting God’s law.
Hope for the Future
In the next section (verses 17–30), Paul returns to the hope that springs from having this relationship. Being made right before God leads from son to heir, from the present to the future — to hope:
“And if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:17).
Christ’s followers are God’s heirs and joint-heirs with His Son. But God the Father will not die so that the heirs can inherit — the analogy breaks down at that point. What is meant by including Christ here is that the inheritance He has received from the Father, will also be the believers’ — eternal life as the Father and the Son have it, the kingdom of God and the glory that comes with it. As a result of this vision of the future, whatever is happening now is nothing by comparison. The sense of the words, “if indeed we suffer with Him . . .” is “because we suffer” as Christ did in this life. Rather than a condition, it’s a description of the present reality (see verse 35).
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:18–21).
It was God the Father who subjected the creation to futility, to decay and running down after Adam’s sinful decision. And it is the same One who will resolve the problem through the children of God. He will bring freedom from slavery for the whole creation — the great hope set before all people. It only takes a brief survey of what is happening all around to know the need is overwhelming. The creation is in pain, it is groaning.
Awaiting Adoption
The followers of Christ are going to be distressed by life in this world at times:
“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption [the final fulfillment of the adoption that is already in process], the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself [itself] makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He [Christ] makes intercession for the saints [verse 34; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; 1 John 2:1] according to the will of God” (Romans 8:22–27).
Remember this section is all about hope. So, we come to the familiar statement:
“And we know that all things work together for good [assisting individual salvation — not that everything that happens is good] to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:28–30).
Conforming to Christ’s image over time until the final fulfillment takes place, is the focus of believers. When Christ returns, He will be joined by many brothers and sisters. Being progressively set apart from the world’s ways is a necessary feature of God’s calling.
Paul’s conclusion to this section and to the book so far is another eloquent expression of what God’s calling guarantees:
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31–39).
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