This text is a part of the 5 Myths sequence.
Fantasy #1: The aim of Romans is unclear.
Students proceed to debate the aim of Romans. Nonetheless, the explanations Paul wrote Romans are hidden in plain sight within the opening and shutting sections of the letter. Paul wrote the letter with missionary, apologetic, and pastoral functions.
The missionary objective is obvious in Romans 15. Paul informs the Roman Christians of his want to go to them on his approach to preach the gospel and plant church buildings in Spain (Rom. 15:23–24). Paul wished to enlist their curiosity, prayers, and help: “I hope to see you in passing as I am going to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you” (Rom. 15:24).
Romans additionally capabilities as an apology for Paul, the type of protection he would quickly be giving in Judea when he introduced the cash he had been amassing from the Gentile church buildings to Jerusalem for the poor Jewish believers (see Rom. 15:25–33). Aware of opposition, Paul wrote to defend each himself and his message when presenting the gospel in Romans.
Thirdly, as a pastor, Paul writes to “strengthen” (stērizō) the believers in Rome with the religious reward of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to them within the letter (Rom. 1:11, 15; Rom. 16:25). That Paul sought to strengthen believers with the gospel might be seen from the opposite 4 makes use of of the identical verb in his letters (1 Thess. 3:2, 11; 2 Thess. 2:17; 3:3). In these passages God is the one who strengthens, encourages, and comforts believers with “the gospel of Christ,” thereby equipping them for each good work and phrase and to dwell holy lives shielded from the evil one. Paul’s presentation of the gospel in Romans strengthens believers in lots of the similar methods. The gospel is not only a message for unbelievers. Romans demonstrates that Paul believed God strengthens believers with the gospel when it’s totally proclaimed and its implications for his or her lives are defined.
On this quantity of the New Testomony Theology sequence, Brian S. Rosner examines the central theology and themes of Paul’s gospel message in Romans to strengthen and encourage disciples of Jesus right this moment.
Fantasy #2: Salvation in Romans is outlined as justification.
Justification by grace by religion is, in fact, important to salvation, however it isn’t an exhaustive account of salvation. God saves not solely by justifying believers however by forgiving trespasses (Rom. 4:25), imputing righteousness (Rom. 4:3–5; 5:17), adopting us into God’s household (Rom. 8:14), reconciling us to himself, turning his enemies into his mates (Rom.5:10), and granting freedom from sin’s mastery (Rom. 8:2). And the dying of Christ just isn’t solely substitutionary (Rom. 3:21–26; 8:3) but additionally consultant (Rom. 6:1–10) and exemplary (Rom. 15:3).
Fantasy #3: In Romans, Paul treats one matter after one other in successive items.
The longest and most imposing of Paul’s letters, we’re susceptible to learn Romans as if it had been a number of letters quite than one. Whereas some sections of Romans consider sure theological subjects—corresponding to justification in Romans 1–4 and the sovereignty of God in Romans 9–11—many themes span the entire letter. Moderately than shifting by it like a bowling ball, knocking over one textual content or unit after one other, we have to learn Romans cumulatively, like a snowball.
Instructing on the thoughts and pondering, for instance, accumulates throughout the letter. Romans:
- Describes and condemns the corrupted thoughts of the Gentile world (Rom. 1:18–32);
- Describes and condemns the educated thoughts of the Jewish world (Rom. 7:7–25);
- Condemns those that set their minds on the issues of the flesh (Rom. 8:5);
- Commends a brand new mind-set in Christ (Rom. 6:1–11);
- Prescribes a thoughts empowered by God’s Spirit (Rom. 8:5–7);
- Instructions being of the identical thoughts towards each other within the physique of Christ and never being haughty in thoughts (Rom. 12:16; Rom. 15:5);
- Urges a renewed thoughts in response to the gospel that’s aligned with the values of the approaching age (Rom. 12:1–3).
The theme of the thoughts in Romans is impressively complete, masking every part from the dynamics of Jewish and Gentile sin to a presentation of how the gospel transforms the habits of those that belong to Christ. It even features a humbling reminder that nobody is aware of the thoughts of the Lord (Rom. 11:34; a citation of Isa. 40:13)!
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Fantasy #4: Romans says little or no concerning the life story of Jesus.
In the case of Jesus Christ, we regularly assume that Romans concentrates solely on his saving dying and resurrection. Nonetheless, whereas not a story of the lifetime of the Son of God, Romans presents a top level view of his story from his preexistence to his return. Intriguingly, it’s one which echoes many factors of the Apostles’ Creed:
Preexistence: God “despatched his personal Son” (Rom. 8:3).
Earthly Life: “the person Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:15) was a “descendant of David” (Rom. 1:3) and “the Patriarchs” (Rom. 9:5), got here “within the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8:3), “suffered” (Rom. 8:17), and was insulted by males (Rom. 15:3).
Demise: Jesus was “delivered up” (Rom. 4:25), “crucified” (Rom. 6:6), shed his blood (Rom. 3:25), and “died to sin” (Rom. 6:10), “for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6) and “for us” (Rom. 5:8; cf. Rom. 8:33).
Burial: Jesus was buried (Rom. 6:4).
Resurrection: “Jesus our Lord” was “raised from the lifeless” (Rom. 4:25; cf. Rom. 1:4; 6:4; 8:34) so “that he may be Lord of each the lifeless and the dwelling” (Rom. 14:9).
Ascension and Exaltation: “Christ Jesus . . . is on the proper hand of God . . . interceding for us” (Rom. 8:34).
Return: “The day is at hand” (Rom. 13:12) when “the Deliverer will come from Zion” (Rom. 11:26) and “on that day . . . God will decide the secrets and techniques of males by Christ Jesus” (Rom. 2:16).
The entire of Romans contributes to Paul’s ethical imaginative and prescient of gospel dwelling.
Fantasy #5: Romans postpones educating about Christian conduct till Romans 12–16.
It’s tempting to learn Romans in two halves: Romans 1–11 is about doctrine (what to consider); Romans 12–16 are about ethics (the way to behave). However the two halves are intricately associated! The foundations for dwelling for God are laid within the doctrines of salvation within the first half of Romans: Being declared righteous earlier than God gives a foundation for a lifetime of obedience to God, which “results in righteousness” in each day dwelling in Rom. 6:16; redemption in Rom. 3:24 contains being emancipated from the ability of sin; freedom in Rom. 6:18, 22 and Rom. 8:2 contains being liberated from the dominion of sin; being adopted into God’s household in Rom. 8:14–15 is the idea for placing sin to dying in Rom. 8:13; and union with Christ is the muse for ending the reign of sin in our lives in Romans 6. Certainly, essentially the most complete command about Christian dwelling is in Rom. 6:12: “Let not sin reign in your mortal our bodies.”
There may be additionally loads of implicit educating about Christian conduct within the first half of the letter. Whereas the first objective of Romans 1–3, for instance, is to ascertain the decision that each one human beings lack righteousness and deserve God’s wrath, it’s a mistake to restrict its objective to this perform. Its eager relevance to Christians shouldn’t be missed. The descriptions of sin and evil in Romans 1–3 perform as ethical educating for all Christians.
Romans 1–3 reminds believers that they aren’t to dwell lives characterised by unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18, 29; Rom. 2:8; Rom. 3:5, 10), wickedness (Rom. 1:30; Rom. 2:9; Rom. 3:8), delight and conceitedness (Rom. 2:1–5, 17, 21), sexual immorality (Rom. 1:26–28; 2:22), idolatry (Rom. 1:25; Rom. 2:22), violence (Rom. 1:29–30; Rom. 3:15), evil speech (Rom. 1:29; Rom. 3:7, 13–15), blasphemy (Rom. 1:30; 2:24; Rom. 3:8), unfaithfulness (Rom. 1:31; 3:3), and strife (Rom. 1:29; 2:8). By implication, they’re to exult in God’s glory (Rom. 1:21, 23, 30; 2:23; 3:11, 18) and affirm the reality about God (Rom. 1:18, 25; 2:8; 3:4).
A lot of the ethical educating in the remainder of Romans presents the choice to such habits. For instance, together with additional encouragement to surrender delight in Romans 11:18, 20, 25 and Romans 14:4, 10, the constructive various of humility is promoted in Romans 12:3 (“take into consideration your self with sober judgment”), Romans 12:10 (“outdo each other in displaying honor”), and Romans 12:16 (“don’t be haughty, however affiliate with the lowly”). And if those that reject God have no idea “the best way of peace” (Rom. 3:17), believers are to “dwell in concord with each other” (Rom. 12:16) and “dwell peaceably with all” (Rom. 12:18). The entire of Romans contributes to Paul’s ethical imaginative and prescient of gospel dwelling.
Brian S. Rosner is the creator of Strengthened by the Gospel: A Theology of Romans.
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