The Wrath of God – Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”

Textual

The revelation of God’s righteousness in the gospel is good news because of the truth of verse 18. The ungodliness and unrighteousness of every individual is in their suppression of the truth. The truth that is suppressed is explained in verse 20. God has revealed something of himself in his creation. This knowledge of God in creation is certainly not a saving knowledge. While one may observe God’s power and something of his nature, creation does not communicate God’s grace, mercy, and justice. Paul’s point is that the knowledge all people have of God is suppressed, twisted, and ignored.

The result of mankind’s unrighteous suppression of the truth is the revelation of God’s wrath. One may suppose that this speaks of God’s wrath in the final judgment when he will fully execute his justice upon all who deny him his rightful place of centrality. However, the connection of verse 18 to verses 16-17 does not allow this assertion. For, if God’s righteousness is revealed in this present time, then the word “for” at the beginning of 18 indicates that it is revealed because of God’s present wrath “against all ungodliness and unrighteous of men.”

The question may be asked, “How is God’s wrath revealed in the present?” This question may arise from a skewed understanding of wrath. In a purely human context, wrath is a matter of the expression of intense rage. It is purely emotional. God’s wrath, however, is not an explosion of rage, but a consistent, calculated disposition that works in opposition to the unrighteous. Here, it may be helpful to go back to sin’s entrance into the world. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God and ate of the fruit God had forbidden, God pronounced curses upon the man and woman, as well as upon creation. The woman would experience pain in childbirth and conflict in her marital relationship. The man, who once worked with purpose and fulfillment, would find work laborious and difficult. The earth would produce things like thorns, thistles, and poison ivy. If you look closely, you will see that those things in life that bring people joy will only come through pain and hardship. The joy of a new child only comes through the pain of labor. The joy of feasting comes through the toil of work. Everything breaks, wears out, or is quickly replaced by something better. The wrath of God is revealed in the vanity of this life.

The wrath of God is also revealed in the moral nature of humanity. Paul explains this aspect of God’s wrath verses 21-32. God turns mankind over to its rebellion against him so that humanity sinks deeper and deeper into a cycle of increasingly heinous sin. God’s wrath is, therefore, revealed in humanity’s increasing hardness toward him and sin against him. In other words, the sins one commits do not only earn God’s judgment, but are in fact a consequence of God’s judgment.

It is true that Christians experience pain and hardship in the same way that the unrighteous do. This is not in this text, but God repurposes pain for the Christian. For the Christian, pain and hardship serve the Christian by helping sever his/her allegiance to and affections for this world. The Christian has a taste of the reality of God’s kingdom. The Christian knows that there is a future that is free of the curse. Difficulty makes the Christian long for that future. God’s righteousness revealed is good news because it means the righteous who live by faith never experience God’s wrath again. All of his anger for the sins of the Christian has been poured out on Jesus Christ. God means nothing for the Christian but good.

Not Ashamed – Romans 1:16

Textual

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

This verse is foundational, not merely to the immediately preceding verses, but to the whole introduction. Paul’s apostolic call and the content of his message is the gospel. To the Corinthians Paul said, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24a). To the Galatians Paul said, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power” (Ephesians 3:7). In Philippians, Paul recognized that some were preaching Christ out of less than pure motives. Yet Paul says, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice” (1:18). Paul is not only sent to proclaim the gospel, he cherishes the gospel.

The phrase, “I am not ashamed,” was part of an early Christian confession. “The negative phrase, ‘I am not ashamed,’ means positively, ‘I confess.’”[1] According to Brown, this is not a statement of one’s state of mind, but rather a confidence that the confessor will not, in the end, be put to shame. In other words, it is confidence in the truth of the confession. However, this confidence must, in reality, affect one’s state of mind. If the confession is absolutely believed to be true, then in what circumstance would one feel shamed because of the gospel? The fact that the gospel will be proven true in the end must necessarily produce a confidence in the gospel in one’s present circumstances.

Paul is not ashamed of the gospel because in it lies God’s power to effect salvation. “The preaching of the Word does not merely make salvation possible but effects salvation in those who are called.”[2] Similar wording and intent can be seen elsewhere in Paul’s works. In 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Paul says, “but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” Paul goes on to say in verses 26-29, “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” The link between election and God’s power to save through the gospel is seen, perhaps more clearly in 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5: “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”

The salvation of which Paul writes has varied connotations. First, it is primarily eschatological in nature. Paul is writing of the Christian’s future deliverance from the wrath of God at the final judgment. The Christian’s hope must not be in his/her past experience, but daily clinging to the gospel for salvation. Of course, there is also a past salvation in view. For one who has not experienced an initial expression of faith in salvation will not continue in the gospel. Therefore, there is a now/not yet aspect to this salvation.

A third view of the salvation in this verse is covenantal in nature. This is seen in Paul’s writing, “to the Jews first, and also to the Greek (Gentile).” This salvation is the consummation of the story of God and Israel. It is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises God made to and through Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. In this context, the inclusion of the Gentiles in the promises to Israel would have been surprising to many Jews.

[1] Brown, Colin, ed., The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 3 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 563.

[2] Schreiner, ECNT: Romans, 60.

Joyful Obligation – Romans 1:14-15

Textual

 “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.   So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”

Paul felt that he was duty-bound to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. The nature of Paul’s obligation, as a slave of Christ Jesus, is one of thankful joy, not of joyless drudgery, as evidenced by his expressed eagerness in verse 15. As one who imprisoned and approved of the murder of Christians, having received pardon from God and a mission to build up that which he had tried to tear down, Paul felt he must share the message of the grace available in Jesus Christ, not simply because he was told to do so, but because God is worthy of honor from all people, and all people need to know the God of glory.

This obligation was not discerning. Paul sought to share this message of grace with those who were educated, and with those who were uneducated. All people are in need of the gospel. He did not attempt to decide who might be a good candidate for grace, but shared the message with all.

Because Paul’s joyful obligation is to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles (Greeks, barbarians, wise, and foolish), he is eager to fulfill this obligation in Rome. It is as though Paul is saying, “Of course I am concerned about you in Rome. You are part of the mission God has given me as the apostle to the Gentiles.”  The word “so” at the start of verse 15 indicates that verse 14 is a supporting argument for his eagerness expressed in verse 15, not an additional statement. The argument then is: Paul is obligated to preach the gospel to Gentiles. The Romans are Gentiles. Therefore, Paul is eager to preach to the Romans. Paul wanted the Romans to know that they were in his thoughts, prayers, and plans.

Romans 1:13 – In Defense of the Faith

Apologetic

Paul, as the apostle to the Gentiles, evangelized and discipled much of Asia Minor and Europe.  He is the human author of the majority of the New Testament.  The Protestant Reformation was born out of Pauline theology.  The gospel that the apostle Paul preached is central to modern Christianity.  In fact, Paul has said, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

Skeptics see an opportunity in this statement of Paul to rattle the foundations of Christianity.  For they assert contradictions between Paul and Jesus that are irreconcilable.  For example, Jesus taught primarily about life in the kingdom of God, while the center of Paul’s teaching is justification by faith.  Paul writes of the end of the law for righteousness.  Jesus says that “it is easier for the heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void” (Luke 16:17).

The first of these differences is due to cultural context rather than doctrinal differences.  Jesus’ life and ministry took place within the context of Judaism.  God still related to and governed his people on the basis of the Old Covenant.  There was great messianic expectation among the Jews at this time.  They had high hopes for the return of a geo-political nation of Israel to a state of prominence, peace, and prosperity.  When the disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6), they were asking a question that was prevalent in the minds of the Jews.  It must also be noted that Jesus ministered among a people, the Jews, who were already part of the kingdom theme.  Therefore, Jesus’ emphasis upon the kingdom of God is necessary to correct wrong thinking and misguided expectations.  Jesus taught the spiritual nature of the kingdom, which was expressed in the material world.

Jesus demonstrated this to Pilate saying, “My kingdom is not of this world.  If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews” (John 18:36).  Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom.  This truth influences the behavior of the kingdom’s citizens in this temporal world.  Because Jesus’ kingdom is eternal, the disciples did not fight for temporal power.  Their focus was turned toward ultimate things.

Paul’s ministry was among people who had no Davidic heritage and, thus, no messianic expectations.  The kingdom teaching that connected with the Jews would not have been nearly as effective with the Gentiles.  Paul had to teach the Gentiles about the nature of God and how mankind relates to him.  His emphasis upon justification by faith is quite fitting for people outside the realm of Jewish religious thought.

What about the law?  The statements of Jesus and Paul appear to be contradictory.  This, however, is not the case.  Skeptics often point to Jesus’ interaction with the rich, young ruler as evidence that Jesus’ teaching was primarily ethical in nature, as opposed to Paul’s faith-based teaching.  When the young man asked Jesus how one may gain eternal life, Jesus pointed him to the law.  Therefore, the skeptics conclude, Jesus taught an ethical, behavior-oriented religion.  The skeptics need to keep reading.  The young man claims to have kept the law from his childhood, yet he still recognized that he fell short of the requirement for eternal life.  Jesus then adds, “You lack one thing: go sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21).

Does this one thing provide further evidence for the skeptic?  Only if one concludes that the act of giving to the poor is a saving act.  I would assert that it is the looking forward to the treasure in heaven, by faith, that frees an individual to give away his/her wealth.  What would motivate a wealthy man to give away his treasure?  The sure promise of greater treasure.  A positive response of faith in the promise of Jesus would have resulted in the salvation of this young man, and the opening of his fist to release his temporal wealth.  Faith results in works.

Paul did not claim that the law was totally useless.  he claimed that law-keeping contributes nothing to the justification of the sinner, save awakening him/her to the utter sinfulness of every human being.  In fact, Paul says that the only way one can truly keep the law of God is by faith.  Romans 3:30-31 says, “(God) will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.  Do we then overthrow the law by this faith?  By no means!  On the contrary, we uphold the law.”  Faith results in works.  There is no contradiction.  There is contextualization.

Romans 1:13 – For the Church

Ecclesiastical

Paul genuinely desired to personally visit the Christians in Rome. Paul also makes it clear that his desire is ultimately about the gospel. It appears as though Paul’s greatest concern is his apostolic ministry, with the Roman church being one context in which he could fulfill his call. Does this diminish the genuineness of his concern for the people of Rome?

I ask this question because I have heard it said, and have made the statement myself, that Christians should do ministry for the sake of ministry without strings attached. In other words, serve people, and demonstrate love for them. There is no need to share the gospel at every ministry event. To do so would communicate that we don’t care about those we serve as people, we just care about pushing our Christian agenda.

I do believe that service to people should be done out of a genuine love and concern for people who are created in the image of God. At the same time, should not genuine love and concern for people be an element of our evangelism as well? In reading Paul, it is difficult to assert that he could separate love for people from the presentation of the gospel. Because of his love for people, he shared with them the gospel of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.

Penn Jillette, an atheist, has said, “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. If you believe that there is a heaven or hell, or that people could be going to hell, or not get eternal life, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward…and atheists think people shouldn’t proselytize, just keep religion to yourself… how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” If the church truly loves people, then why would Christians not seek every opportunity for sharing the gospel?

Perhaps Jilette touches on the reason with his comment concerning social awkwardness. It is said that there are two subjects one must never discuss in public discourse: politics and religion. However, I would suggest that the concern for social awkwardness comes from man-centered mission rather than God-centered mission. There is more concern for how people will react to the message than for the glory of the Giver of the message.

I realize that I have spoken of love for people in evangelism. Now I seem to have switched my position to love of God as the motivation for evangelism. However, the two are not in competition. The only true and lasting satisfaction for the human heart is the glory of God. God’s glory is most clearly and fully seen in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, sharing the gospel for the glory of God is the most loving thing the Christian can do for people. They need to see his glory. We need to love his glory, and people, enough to share it with them.

Perhaps the statement concerning doing ministry for ministry’s sake with no strings attached is pushback against evangelism that looks more like salesmanship than anything else. In a good and proper effort to equip the church for evangelism, we have produced scripts and clever techniques for sharing the gospel. In the memorization of scripts, it is easy to omit the relational dialogue that is of great importance in evangelism. It is in the dialogue that genuine love and concern for the individual is communicated, not in lines delivered by rote. We need more gospel conversations and less Christian sales pitches.

 

Romans 1:9-10 – In Defense of the Faith

Apologetic

Paul’s longing to visit the Roman church would really have been quite startling among his previous pharisaical peers.  There was a general contempt for gentiles among first century Jews due to their idolatry, lack of concern for morality, and status of unclean under Jewish law.[1] These concerns led to a separatist mentality of Jews toward the Gentiles. In turn, Rome’s occupation of Israel, and at times persecution of Jews, reinforced the ethnic wall.

The Pharisees of Paul’s time were especially attentive to matters of ritual cleanness. This is the source of much of the expansion of the law given to Moses. The Pharisees did not intend to add laws to the Mosaic law. Rather, they sought to clarify the law concerning potential gray areas and new cultural realities. These clarifications and applications became part of the corpus of Jewish law.

Paul, being a Hebrew of Hebrews (Philippians 3:5), and extremely zealous for Jewish tradition (Galatians 1:14), would have avoided any contact with Gentiles for the sake of maintaining his purity. The fact that Paul now longs to personally visit the church at Rome would have been scandalous to his peers among the Pharisees.

Racism and ethnocentrism are deeply rooted sins that one does not merely set aside. Paul lived for approximately 30 years viewing Gentiles as unclean idolaters. Yet, after a supernatural experience on the road to Damascus and three years in the dessert, Paul not only accepted Gentiles, but was eager to meet them personally. It would be quite a challenge for the skeptic to put forth an example of such rapid reversal of ethnocentrism and racism to genuine love among non-believers.

While many in modern America believe Christianity to be a racist ideology, the teachings of Scripture contradict such nonsense. Throughout the epistles, the Bible calls for unity in diversity. The church has historically led the way in reaching out to foreign populations, not only in evangelism, but also in medical care, financial assistance, and education. William Wilberforce, a devout Christian, was primarily responsible for the abolition of slavery in England. When Peter began to slip into old thought patterns concerning Jews and Gentiles, Paul admonished him (Galatians 2:11-14).

There have been times in history when the church has been on the wrong side of certain issues. At these points, Christians must acknowledge the church’s errors humbly. These errors, however, do not define the teaching of Scripture, or negate the numerous examples of the church’s countercultural efforts in building bridges across ethnic divides. There is a kinship among all Christians of all ethnicities that is rooted in one common blood-line: the blood of Jesus Christ. The truth of Christianity’s unity in diversity is actually a strong evidence for the work of God in the lives of individuals and in the culture at large.

[1] Scott, J. Julius. Jewish Backgrounds of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1995) 337.

 

Longing and Gratitude – Romans 1:9-10

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.”

Textual

The word, “For,” beginning these verses means that they are the ground of the preceding verse.  Therefore, verses 8-10 may be summarized as, “I thank my God for his work among you because I am praying that I may come to you.  How does Paul’s longing to visit Rome cause him to be thankful for the Roman Christians and God’s work among them?

One of the reasons Paul desired to visit Rome was to provide apostolic witness and authority to the church. This is evident in verses 11 and 13-15. In these verses, Paul speaks of imparting “some spiritual gift to strengthen” them, reaping a harvest among them, and preaching the gospel to them. As Paul prayed that he might be able to do these things, it is possible that he marveled at what God had accomplished among the Romans without the benefit of an apostle shepherding them. Therefore, his longing to visit Rome led to his thanksgiving for the Christians in Rome.

It might help to think of a modern parallel. Consider the underground church in China. They are short on resources and biblical education. A missionary begins to pray for the opportunity to go to China to teach, encourage, and offer Bibles and other books to aid in the study of Scripture. It is plausible, if not probable, that this missionary would begin to think of the growth of the underground church without the benefit of these helps, and thank God for his work among the Chinese people. The desire to go undergirds the gratitude for God’s movement.

Prayer does work like this. As one prays for a difficult individual, affections for this individual begin to rise. As one prays for personal needs, God often brings gratitude for what one already has. Though this view of the relationship between verses 8 and 9-10 is admittedly a bit speculative, it is a viable option.

Paul, again, asserts his apostolic mission in verse 9. The insertion of the phrase, “whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son,” is an explicit connection of his prayer for the Roman church to his own apostolic mission. Schreiner explains this connection in writing, “As an apostle to the Gentiles Paul voices thanks that the gospel was bearing fruit among the Gentiles in Rome. In the same way the prayer for the Romans is an extension of Paul’s apostleship. This is confirmed by the specific content of the prayer, for the only petition mentioned is his desire to visit Rome. A Pauline visit was not merely a private affair. He would come as an emissary of Christ to strengthen them (v. 11) and to obtain fruit as he did among other Gentiles (v. 13). Paul felt that he had an apostolic obligation to preach the gospel to all Gentiles (v. 14), which included those residing in Rome (v. 15).”[1]

[1] Schreiner, ECNT: Romans, 48.

Grace and Peace – Romans 1:7

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Textual

Paul’s blessing of grace and peace is included in every one of his epistles (1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2 (1); Titus 1:4; Philemon v. 3).  This is a standard Greek greeting, except for one variation.  In the usual greek form, the word chairein (be well) is used.  Paul uses the word, charis (grace).  With this word choice, Paul connects even his greeting to the gospel.

Grace is most often defined as unmerited favor. It is that blessing of God bestowed by God apart from any meritorious act on the part of the object His grace. It is not merely pardon from sin, but is also a power that works for the glory of God. Grace strengthens (Hebrews 13:9), it is the power by which we thrive in infirmity (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), and it is by the power of grace by which men may be saved (Ephesians 2:8). This list is far from exhaustive, for grace is the power by which the Christian lives for the honor of God. If one overcomes a particular sin, it is by grace. If one dies graciously, looking to the hope he/she has in Christ, it is by grace. If one endures suffering, it is by grace. All of a God-honoring life is by grace.

Paul also offers a blessing of peace, which is available by the grace of God. This peace is that standing before God in which the Christian need not fear God’s wrath because of the propitiation of His Son. As Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This peace is extended by God, the One against whom offenses have been committed, to sinners on the basis of His grace, alone. This peace is also the inner sense of assuredness one experiences as a result of this standing.

 

(1) In 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul adds “mercy” to his greeting.

Romans 1:2 – For the Church

Ecclesiastical

At least a portion of Paul’s intent in mentioning the gospel promises given through the Old Testament prophets is the demonstration of God’s faithfulness to his word. Paul is concerned that the ingathering of the Gentiles, combined with the majority rejection of Christ among the Jews, could lead people to question the trustworthiness of God’s promises. In chapter nine, Paul addresses this concern more fully. After communicating his broken-hearted desire for Israel’s salvation, Paul says, “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises” (v. 4). In spite of all of this, it seems as though God is forsaking his promises and rejecting Israel, his chosen people.

This is an enormous problem. If God’s promises to Israel failed, then how can the church trust the New Testament promises? If what was spoken through the prophets did not come to pass, then why should what is spoken through the apostles be trusted?

In Romans 1:2, Paul makes it clear that the promises of the Old Testament have come to pass in the coming of Jesus. The gospel is God’s fulfillment of the promises he made to Abraham, David, and all of true Israel. The book of Hebrews demonstrates how Jesus not only fulfills the Old Testament promises, but exceeds them. Therefore, the church can confidently confess the truth of the gospel, even in the face of a hostile culture, with confidence that God will fulfill his glorious promises.

 

Rooted in Eternity – Romans 1:2

“which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,”

 Textual

As asserted in comments on verse 1, Paul’s self-introduction is reminiscent of the call of Isaiah and Jeremiah. In introducing himself this way, Paul affirms the implicit connection to the OT prophets by reminding his readers of the promises God made through them. This verse is not merely intended to affirm Paul’s apostolic authority, Paul also desires to display the continuity between the Old Testament and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Throughout the letter to the Romans, Paul recalls occurrences in the Old Testament and interprets them through the lens of the gospel. For example, in chapter 4, Paul uses the faith of Abraham prior to his circumcision to illustrate justification by faith apart from works of the law. In chapter 5, Paul draws comparisons and contrasts between Adam, mankind’s first representative, and Jesus. Osborne says, “Throughout Romans, Paul will be anchoring his theological points in Old Testament truth. This statement in verse 2 establishes the promise-fulfillment pattern that will dominate his use of the Old Testament.”(1)

In pointing out the gospel promises in the Old Testament prophets, Paul demonstrates that, while Christianity was a new movement in human history, it is rooted in God’s eternal plan. The gospel was not merely necessary to address the shortcomings of the old covenant. It is the climax of the story that was begun in Genesis. The gospel is the point of the story.

In making these gospel-Old Testament connections, Paul is also attempting to connect Jews with Gentiles. If this gospel has its roots in the soil of Israel’s history, and if this gospel branches out to bear fruit among the Gentiles, then Israel’s history is the history of the Gentile Christians. If these things are the case, then it is also true that the present reality of life in Christ is also a shared experience. The gospel is the fulfillment of all of the promises made to Israel. The gospel is also the fulfillment of God’s global purpose to gather the nations to himself. Therefore, there need not be any contention between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. They/we are all part of the same story.

 

 

[1] Osborne, IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Romans, 29-30.