Category: 保罗书信

Justification by Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone

God looks at all people and sees only two persons : Adam and Jesus Christ. 

From Adam: (Sin,Death)

• First man was of dust (1Cor15:47)
• Sin enters the world because of the sin of one man(v.12)
  • Adam and Eve are one body because of marriage (Gen)

• Death enters world because of sin
  • Before Adam and Eve sinned, nothing on Earth died
  • Wages of sin is death (Rom )

• Through Adam, death to many
  • Death “reigned” from Adam to Moses(v14)
  • No law before Moses
    • Death because of sin due to Adam’s line and not breaking of commands
    • (v20) Law increased the trespass, but trespass was present before law
  • All of us are descendants of Adam and Eve thus we are all sinners
  • The one sin brought condemnation to all (v19)
  • We bear the likeness of Adam because we are his descendants (1Cor15:48)

• Adam was disobedient(v18)

From Jesus Christ: (Righteousness, Grace=> Life)

• Second man is of heaven (1Cor15:47)
• Grace enters through Jesus Christ (v15)
• Gift of God (charisma) over judgment(v16)
  • Eternal life (v21)
• New creation when we belong to Christ and no longer to Adam( 2 Cor 5:17)
• Jesus was obedient(v18)
  • Jesus obeyed the will of the father (Phillipians 2:8)

After we were justified by our faith in Jesus Christ, we can enjoy God’s blessings in the past, in our daily life, and in the future.

1. Past – have peace with God (v1)
   1. Man had peace with God in the garden of Eden
   2. Man sinned, and lost his peace with God – Man afraid and hid from God (Gen 3:10)
   3. Man became enemy of God (v10)
   4. God restored the peace by sending His Son to die for our sins
   5. Jesus saved us from God’s wrath – God’s judgement (v9)
   6. Righteousness and peace kiss each other (Ps 85:10)
   7. When we are sinners we are at war with God, when we are declared righteous we are at peace with God
2. Present – live in God’s grace – love (v2)
   1. We are justified by God’s grace (3:24)
   2. We now have access to God (v2)
   3. We continue to live in God’s grace (v2)
   4. God’s grace is shown with His love for us (v5)
   5. God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (v5)
   6. The job of Holy Spirit – Teach us all things and remind us of Jesus’s teaching (John 14:26)
   7. While we were still sinners God demonstrates His own love for us by sending Jesus to die for us (v8)
   8. Living in God’s grace does not mean we will not experience suffering. In fact Jesus said in this world we will surely face suffering (John 16:33).
   9. Suffering work for believers, instead of against him.
   10.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (8:39)
   11. Meaning of tribulation – tribulum – separate wheat from chaff
   12.  Instead we should rejoice
       1. Rejoices in suffering (v3)
       2. Rejoices in the Lord, the Lord is our rejoice (v11)
       3. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (v2)
3. Future – Hope to the glory of God (v2)
   1. God created men in His image and likeness (Gen 1:26)
   2. God original plan is to let men rule over God’s creations (Gen 1:26)
   3. God desires to let men to reveal God’s authority over the earth and creatures
   4. God desires men to reveal His’s glory
   5. However men sinned and fall shorts in God’s glory (3:23)
   6. God sent Jesus to reconciled with us (v10)
   7. We have been justified by Jesus’s blood (v9)
   8. God like to conform us to the likeness of Jesus (8:29)
   9. God uses suffering to mold us into the likeness of Jesus (8:17)
   10. Because suffering produces perseverance, character and hope (v3)
   11. God’s will is to bring many children of God into glory (Heb 2:10, 8:30)
   12. We will rule the earth for God – God plan will be fulfilled
   13. Like Abraham, against all hope, he believed (4:18). We too have hope while we suffer, because God’s words tell us that He loves us.
   14. More on glory on Romans Chapter 8

1. Abraham and David as examples (v1 and v6)
2. Justification is by faith and not by works
   1. Abraham could only boast if he was justified by works (v2)
   2. Abraham was credited as righteous because of his faith (v3; Genesis 15:6)
3. By Works vs By Faith
   1. Work is due wages which is an obligation (v4, 14-15)
      1. Man alone is only able to sin and receive its “wages” (Romans 6:23)
   2. Faith in God credits one with righteousness (v5)
4. Abraham’s demonstration of faith
   1. Trust (v5)
      1. Belief God’s promise that he will be a father of many nations. (v18)
      2. Belief that God will provide a son in his old age. (v19)
      3. Belief in a resurrected life and He who creates all things (in Jesus)(v17)
      4. Belief in the seed(Gal 3:16)
5. Law vs. Grace
   1. Living by the Law is opposite of living by faith (v14)
   2. Abraham and his descendants lived when the Law was not established
   3. Law is used to reveal grace (v15)
   4. Grace is what allows us to be heirs of Abraham(v16)
6. David’s demonstration of faith (Psalm 32)
   1. David can do nothing to redeem himself for his sins. Only God can deal with salvation (v6-8)
7. Abraham was father of many nations (v18)
   1. Father of the uncircumcised (v 11)
      1. Father of those who believe but are not circumcised (v11)
      2. Blessings came to those with faith before circumcision(v9-10)
   2. Father of the circumcised
      1. Ancestor to all the Jews who are circumcised AND walk in the faith
8. God’s promise to Abraham endures today
   1. Promise was made by faith (v16)
   2. Guaranteed for all of Abraham’s offsprings (spiritual or physical)
   3. We who believe are offsprings of Abraham (v17)
   4. We will also partake in the rewards of faith (v 24)

1. Propitiation – means:

2. We must receive by faith
3. The result – God’s righteousness is revealed, and believers are justified (3:26)

Do we overthrow the law by this faith? (3:31)

• No, on the contrary we upload the law
• Jesus have not came to abolish the Law, but to fulfill them (Matt 5:17)

1. Basis of Judgment
   1. Based on truth (2:2)
      1. Wicked men suppress the truth(1:18)
      2. Also they reject the truth (2:8)
   2. Based on what each person has done(2:6)
      1. *Not based on works

       2. Contents of Judgment

1. Judge what is within and not on the outside(2:14-16)
2. Real circumcision vs. Fake circumcision (2:25;2:28-29)
   1. Obey vs. knowing (2:13)
3. Orderly (2:9-10)

3. Authority of Judgment

1. Not for us to judge (2:1 ,1Cor 4:5)
   1. Human judgment, prone to hypocrisy (2:3)
2. Jesus appointed to judge(2:16, Jn 5:22, 27, 30)

4. Receivers of Judgment

1. Unrepentant heart (2:5)
2. All people (Jews and Gentiles)
   1. Those who do evil(2:9)
   2. No one seeks God(3:10-11)
   3. Those who pass judgment (2:1)

        5. Result of Judgment

1. Leads to repentance 2:4
2. Rewarded (2:6)
   1. Glory,honor,peace(2:10)
3. Separation
   1. Circumcised/Uncircumcised
   2. Useful/Not useful to God
4. Reveals what is hidden (2:16)

1. Outlines of chapter 1 to 4
a) Romans 1:1-17 is the introduction
b) Romans 1:18-32 talks about multitude sins of men
c) Romans 2:1-3:20 talks about God’s judgment
d) Romans 3:21-4:25 talks about God’s grace and justification by faith

2. Two sides of the Gospel(1:17, 3:25-26)
a) Men is justified (Men is considered righteous) when believe
b) God righteousness is revealed

3. The wrath of God is against all ungodly and unrighteous men (1:18)
a) Ungodly inside, unrighteous outside
b) Ungodly towards God, unrighteous towards men
c) Ungodly is the cause, unrighteous is the effect
d) Ungodly is described from v21-v25. Unrighteous is described from v26-v32
e) suppress the God’s truth – definition of unrighteous acts is anything that is against God’s
truth

4. God has revealed Himself through His creations (1:19-20)
a) God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so men could know God (Gen 2:7,
Rom1:19)
b) When we look at the orderly of the universe, the beauty of the nature, the complexity of
human minds, it is hard to deny the existence of God (1:20)
c) Bible is full of verses the described the nature reveal the existence of God. (Ps 19:1)

5. However
a) Men do not honor God as God (v21)
b) Men do not give thanks to God (v21)
c) Men became futile (foolish, meaningless) in their thinking (v21)
d) Men heart was darkened (v21. Eph 4:17-18)

6. God gave them over (1:24,26,28)
a) When people constantly abandon God, God will abandon them.
b) Lusts begin in men hearts and move to the shame of body (v24)
c) God abandon men temporary, eventually God give men a way out through Jesus

7. Three categories of sins
a) sins against God (v21-25)
b) sins against our own body (v26-27)
c) sins against other human (v28-31)

8. Death is their worthy punishment (1:32)

1. Book of Romans is a book about God’s Gospel (v1)
2. Gospel is God’s promise within the Bible (v2)
3. Gospel is about God’s son (v3)
   1. Became flesh
   2. Resurrection
4. Gospel concerns service (v9)
   1. Serve with a whole heart
5. We all owe a debt to the Gospel (v14)
   1. Owe debt to Gospel
   2. Attitude when spreading the Gospel
6. Gospel is our salvation (v16)
   1. Called to belong to Christ (v6)
      1. Life->Children of God- Calling->servants
      2. New position
   2. Faith(v5, v16,v12,v17)
      1. Righteousness by faith
      2. Salvation by faith
   3. Called to be saints (v7)
      1. Set apart for his use
   4. Christ’s servant (v1)
      1. Call Jesus Lord, so we are servant
   5. Called to spread Gospel (v1)
      1. Jesus commands us to do so
   6. Receive spiritual gift’s/receive duty (v11, v5)
      1. God’s work, He is responsible
   7. Bearing fruits among the nations (v13-14)
7. Gospel reveals God’s righteousness (v17)

 

Power of Gospel

• (1:20) Creation  – From nothing into everything
• (1:4) Resurrection – From weak to strong
• (1:16) Salvation  – From sinners to righteousness

When we compare 1:1-5 with 16:25-27, we will discover seven major themes in Romans.

1. God
   1. Gospel of God – God is the origin of gospel (1:1)
   2. God has promised in scriptures through His prophets (1:2)
   3. God gave up His Son (1:3-4)
   4. God strengthens us (16:25)
   5. God has commanded us to tell the nations about obedience of faith (16:26)
   6. God is the only wise God (16:27)
   7. God deserves all the glory forevermore (16:27)
2. Gospel
   1. Romans letter that explains gospel (1:1)
   2. This gospel is according to scriptures – Bible (1:2)
   3. The content of the gospel is Jesus Christ (1:3, 16:25), Son of God (1:4)
3. Jesus Christ
   1. Meaning of Jesus (Hebrew Yeshua – Joshua) – Jehovah is savior
   2. Jesus is Christ (Messiah) (1:1, 1:4, 16:25,16:27)
   3. Jesus is the Lord of all preachers (1:1)
   4. Jesus is the content the gospel (1:3)
   5. By fresh Jesus is descendent of David (1:3)
   6. By Spirit Jesus is Son of God (1:4)
   7. Jesus dead and resurrected (1:4)
   8. Jesus called people to serve Him (1:5)
   9. Jesus is the central of our preaching (16:25)
4. Prophetic writings
   1. God promised in holy Scriptures (1:2, 16:26)
   2. Example: 1:17 – The righteous shall live by faith – Habakkuk 2:4, Gal3:11,Heb10:38
   3. 3:10-18 – None is righteous, no, not one – Ps 14:3,5:9, 36:1, 140:3, Isiah59:7-8
   4. At least 10 references to OT in Chapter 10 alone
5. Declared/Disclosed/Revelation
   1. Declared to be Son of God by His resurrection (1:4)
   2. the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed (16:25-26)
6. Paul
   1. Servant of the Lord (1:1)
   2. Apostle (1:1)
   3. Received grace and apostleship (1:5)
   4. Preach the gospel among all the nations (1:5,16:26)
   5. Paul explains his spiritual struggle in Chapter 7
   6. Paul talked about his willingness to be cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of his kinsmen – Israelites (10:3)
   7. Paul asked us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. (12:1)
   8. Minister of Jesus Christ, as priest of the gospel of God (15:16)
   9. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Cor11:1)
7. Obedience of faith (1,5;16:26)
   1. Two major concepts in Romans: Believe and Obey. To receive the gospel, we must believe in Jesus Christ (1:16:3:22)
   2. 2^nd, After we believe, we must be obedience, offer our body as living sacrifice (12:1) because it is the everlasting God’s command (16:26)
   3. God’s will is so that through obedience to Holy Spirit (8:5) that is living in us, we will confirmed to the image of His Son (8:29), so that one day we will enter into God’s glory, become heirs of God, and reign the universe with our Lord. (8:17)

Brief Intro to Romans

Scriptures: 1:1,1:7,1:16-17,16:1-2,16:25-27

Romans is a letter, written by apostle Paul, to the church in Rome.

In NT, the 4 Gospels record the life of Jesus Christ, from His birth, teaching, and redemption on the cross, resurrection and ascension.

Acts records Jesus ascension, the coming of Holy Spirit, the ministry of the disciples, the spread of gospel, the beginning of the church, the formation of local churches in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Antioch, Ephesus, Colossae, Philipi, Corinth, Athens and Rome.

Because they are new believers, they are sometimes confuse, do not have strong foundation of the truth, not sure about the future of the church, thus God raised up the apostles to write the NT letters to the churches.

Epistles Explain The Gospel

In acts we see the examples of early church life and ministries. It is in the epistles that the truth of the gospel is revealed. The result of gospel is to bring people to God, through the body of Christ, Christ headship and glory are revealed to the world.

3 sets of Epistles:

1. Romans to 2 Thessalonians – 9 epistles – to 7 churches – author: Paul
2. 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon – 4 epistles – 3 saints – author: Paul
3. Hebrew to Revelation – 9 epistles – churches – authors: other apostles

Comparison of 1st and 3^rd set of Epistles:

	1st Set	3rd Set	Similarity
1st Epistles	Romans	Hebrew	Long
9th Epistles	2 Thessalonians	Revelation	Eng times, return of Christ

1^st Set of Epistles

Romans,1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians	The Redemption Work for Christ on the Cross	Past
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians	God’s works in church	Present
1 & 2 Thessalonians	Christ’s return	Future

Romans is a Gospel Epistle

Paul’s systematic way to present the completeness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ch 1	Sins
Ch 2	Judgment
Ch 3 – Ch 5	Salvation
Ch 6 – Ch 8	Sanctification
Ch 9 – Ch 11	Israel
Ch 12 – Ch 16	Application

Author – Paul

Paul is the slave, Jesus Christ is his Lord (v1).

He is an apostle (person sent), he was called to spread the gospel of God (v1).

He received apostleship from Christ, to bring the obedience of faith to nations for Christ (v5).

He is under obligation to preach the gospel to all people(v14)

He is a Jew (9:3)

He is a minister of Christ Jesus to carry out priestly service of the gospel of God. (15:16)

He is a prisoner (16:7)

He has many coworkers (16:3, 16:21)

When, Where and Whom Romans was written

• Written in AD57, in Corinth (Act 18:8, Act 20:2-3, Romans16:23, 1 Corinthians 1:14,), on Paul 3^rd missionary trip, before he went to Jerusalem to bring offerings of the believers to the Jerusalem church (Ch15)
• Carried by Phoebe (16:1) to believers in Rome (1:7)

• Rome believers probably heard the gospel in Jerusalem during Pentecost (Act 2:10)

Purpose of Epistle of Romans

• Jews believers had conflicts with gentiles believers regarding the roles of Jews laws, including circumcision to salvation. So Paul wrote the letter to help them.
• Paul wrote Romans so that he and believers in Rome may be mutually encouraged by each others faith. (1:12)
• Paul’s systematic way to explain the complete gospel of Jesus Christ
  • Men are sinners
  • Righteous God judgment on sinners
  • Redemption of Jesus Christ
  • Save by faith
  • Righteousness of God revealed in us
  • We are in peace with God
  • We became children of God
  • Holy Spirit works in us
  • We are mold into the image of Jesus Christ
  • God’s children enter into the glory of God

Romans and 3 saint in church history

• St. Augustine (City of God, Confessions)
  • AD386 in Milan, he overheard a child singing “take up and read”. So he picked up a bible and read Romans 13:12-14, as a result he became one of the most influential christian in early church. .
• Martin Luther (Reformation)
  • He was a monk in the Romans Catholic church, trying very hard to be a good person so God could forgive his sins and let him enter heaven.
  • He was confused and frighten after his visit to Rome
  • People told him”Luther, God is not mad at you. You are mad at God.”
  • One day Luther visited his friend and teacher Johann von Strauss, who told him to read Romans.
  • Romans 1:16, 3:22 opened Luther’s eyes. In AD1516, he was saved by reading Romans
• John Wesley (founder of Methodist Movement)
  • Brought up as a religious family. He worked very hard to study new testament in Greek but was not saved.
  • Went to America to convert Indians but failed.
  • In AD1738, when he was depressed, a brother brought him to Aldersgate St. to have a fellowship. When he heard Luther’s preface on Romans, Wesley understood the gospel – one can only be saved by faith in Christ alone. “I felt my heart strangely warmed”

Discussions and Questions

1. What new thing did you learned today about Romans?
2. Romans is a
   1. letter to the Roman Emperor to convert him to christianity
   2. letter about the gospel of Jesus Christ
   3. commentary written by the Pope of Roman Catholic church
   4. peter writing about his journey to Rome
3. The purpose of Romans is NOT
   1. to convict people that all men are sinners and fall short in the glory of God
   2. to explain that Jesus Christ is the only say to salvation
   3. to tell people that they need to follow the bible and perform good works in order to do to heaven
   4. to tell people that the wages of sins is death