But I say, did not Israel know? And where? But why talk I so? In doing so, he personifies righteousness based on faith. There is evil at work, and grace does not close the eye to danger; at the same time it is never under the pressure of the enemy, and there is the fullest confidence that the God of peace will break the power of Satan under the feet of the saints shortly. Yet, how many times we take the promises of God and say, "Oh, God, just help me to believe. The Rock of Ages never fails. The feet speak of activity, motion, and progress, and those who are active and moving in the work of preaching the gospel have beautiful feet. Saying that something more than the Bible is needed affirms that we need to bring Christ down. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. The apostle allows this privilege to be great, specially in having the Scriptures, but turns the argument against the boasters. This is applied in the two chapters that follow. And how shall they hear without a preacher? It is not God seeking, or man bringing righteousness. Does that mean then that God is through with the Jew forever? First, What is promised to us: Thou shalt be saved. But there is much more in Christ than that to which too many souls restrict themselves, not less to their own loss than to His dishonour. How shall they hear without a preacher? God send us more like him men to whom religion is for home consumption. Such has been their singular fruit of promise; such even in the midst of all their misery it is at present. (a.) Even those that seek a place of separation to the Lord outside that which is now hurrying on souls to destruction are, nevertheless, deeply affected by the condition of that Christendom in which we find ourselves. It is not meant that Paul knew nothing of this; but that the ground of inference, and the general theory built up, are alike mistaken. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Second, he cites Joel 2:32: "All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered." God established that they had to bring an animal and kill the animal in their stead, that their sins must be transferred onto the animal and the animal slain. It is not here a question of how a man is to be saved, but of God's indispensable moral judgment, which the gospel, instead of weakening asserts according to the holiness and truth of God. The appeal to their own inspired account of Abraham turned into a proof of the consistency of God's ways in justifying by faith, and hence in justifying the uncircumcised no less than the circumcision. I wonder what my response would be if I came home in the evening and said, "Honey, I have decided to take you out for dinner tonight, thought we would go out and get prime rib." But it is a word one must believe with all his hearta word he must believe enough to give up all hopes of self-righteousness and submit his whole being to it in faithful, obedience. As He has given us through the blood of Jesus full remission, as we shall be saved by this life, as He has made us know even now nothing short of present conscious deliverance from every whit of evil that belongs to our very nature, as we have the Spirit the earnest of the glory to which we are destined, as we are the vessels of gracious sorrow in the midst of that from which we are not yet delivered but shall be, so now we have the certainty that, whatever betide, God is for us, and that nothing shall separate us from His love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. First, as to practical holiness, it is not merely that Christ has died for my sins, but that even in the initiatory act of baptism the truth set forth there is that I am dead. "Stop a minute," said he. He is not coming according to the covenant that God established by Moses for sins to be forgiven. Acts 17:31; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:13-20. Paul ably demonstrated in the first several chapters of Romans how futile this is. Romans 13:1-14; Romans 13:1-14 urges their duties towards what was outside them, more particularly to the powers that be, but also to men in general. He here shows the folly of that mistake, and what an unreasonable thing it was for them to be seeking justification by the works of the law, now that Christ had come, and had brought in an everlasting righteousness; considering. "Always remember to keep your voice down," said another. 1. A great present-day preacher called preaching "pleading with men." You see how simple God has made it? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.". It didnt surprise God or His prophets. [1.] There is no language where their voice is not heard. It seems incredible that a man should die like that for a law like that. Did they fall back on Abraham? 2. I want a righteousness which would need as much labor to produce as a climb to heaven would need; and I require an expiation for sin as great as though a man were plunged into the abyss itself, and there were made to suffer the divine anger. It is not believing (not to be reckoned so) if it be not with the heart. . Would that the Lord would give us hearts to remember, as well as eyes to see, according to His own grace! In such a condition what has been found in Jesus is too often misused to make a kind of difference, so to speak, between the Saviour on the one hand, and God on the other ruinous always to the enjoyment of the full blessing of the gospel. But natural conscience, although it may detect evil, never leads one into the inward possession and enjoyment of good never brings the soul to God. Paul's Discourse of Righteousness; The Method of Salvation. That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Proud as you may be of that which distinguishes you, it is hard to make sin and death peculiar to you, nor can you connect them even with the law particularly: the race of man is in question, and not Israel alone. He quotes from Joel, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. We, O Antiochus," he said, "who live under a divine law, consider no compulsion to be so forcible as obedience to our law." Finally he comes to two other witnesses; as from the Psalms, so now from the law and the prophets. Nothing shows better the Jewish attitude than the three classes into which they divided mankind. "But unto Israel he saith, All day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.". Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. ii. Far beyond. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." His language conveys the main idea which Paul wished to do, that the doctrine was plain and intelligible. Jesus came into the world to save real sinners, not sham sinners; for he is a real, and not a pretended Savior. d. Seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God: Israel had a lack of knowledge. And what led to the call of Abraham, of whom we hear much in the epistle to the Romans as elsewhere, was the departure of man into idolatry. Sin is our not wanting the gifts of . Apparently the meaning is: "What if the message was so difficult to grasp that even when Israel did hear it they were unable to grasp its significance?" Verse 19. The righteousness of the law is an impossibility for all who have sinned even once, and the truth is all responsible men have sinned more than one time. The saving work is done, done by him who was anointed of the Lord to do it. The righteousness of faith, on the other hand, is easily available to all men upon the conditions mentioned in the next phrases. c. How beautiful are the feet: No wonder those who preach have beautiful feet they partner with God for the salvation of men. "Are you a Protestant?" 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission. This was not suitable to the character of the epistle; but the glory of God he does. It is our rejecting the gifts our Lord offers in His Means of Grace. b. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Duty as to the Lord's return-watchfulness, 13:11-14. . And to this agreed the testimony of the prophet. Because if you know God well you will have no problem trusting in Him at all.How can you know God? If the first book in the Bible showed that it was only the call of God that made Israel what they were, its second book as clearly proved that all was over with the called people, had it not been for the mercy of God. (iii) There is the ignorance which is in essence a lie. Now he began the argument by saying that everything was of God and that men had no more to do with it than the clay had to do with the work of the potter. (i) There is the ignorance which comes from neglect of knowledge. Kurios Serapis is Lord Serapis. This occupies the central part of the chapter, which then closes with the unfailing and faithful power of God for us in all our experiences here below. Has God then no delivering power from this? All rights reserved. Even the word of faith; the gospel and the promise of it, called the word of faith because it is the object of faith about which it is conversant, the word which we believe;--because it is the precept of faith, commanding it, and making it the great condition of justification;--and because it is the ordinary means by which faith is wrought and conveyed. No Gentile would do it who had not ceased worshipping the emperor as Kurios. This is a clear statement. As long as we are nothing Christ is our all in all; we may be sure of that, and that is just the gospel in a nutshell. For He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man can come to the Father but by me" ( John 14:6 ). If God has made you feel yourself a sinner, then Christ is such a Savior as you need and you may have him at once: the only difficulty lies in the way being so easy that you can hardly think it can be so. It must also be noticed, that the word, by which we have a firm and calm trust as to our salvation, had been set forth even by Moses: This is the word of faith. For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. Accordingly, for the first time, the Spirit of God fromRomans 5:12; Romans 5:12 traces the mature of man to the head of the race. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! This is where so many religious people even sincere Christians go astray. - That is, what is the language of the doctrine of justification by faith? That same energy of the Holy Ghost which had displayed itself in Jesus, when He walked in holiness here below, was demonstrated in resurrection; and not merely in His own rising from the dead, but in raising such at any time no doubt, though most signally and triumphantly displayed in His own resurrection. Be nothing; be nobody; and trust Him. And I answered him, "That is a very difficult question for me, because I do believe that your father does love God, has a zeal for God, but what is he doing about his sin? (iii) But a man must not only believe in his heart; he must confess with his lips. 3. And how shall they preach unless they are sent? That mode of living which will do for the depths is safe for the heights. There is no simple mind that can evade the plain force of this last expression. Therein God is both vindicated and glorified. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. This is where so many religious people even sincere Christians go astray. It is the going forth of His richest blessing. . They wanted Jerusalem to be shut down completely on the Sabbath day, and he just let their sections be shut down but allowed cars to be driven in other sections. Then, in Romans 9:1-33; Romans 10:1-21; Romans 11:1-36, the apostle handles a difficulty serious to any mind, especially to the Jew, who might readily feel that all this display of grace in Christ to the Gentile as much as to the Jew by the gospel seems to make very cheap the distinctive place of Israel as given of God. They could not with Paul disclaim a dependence upon this (Philippians 3:9), Not having my own righteousness. In the same way the apostle disposes of all pretence on the score of ordinances, especially circumcision. He did not say, "Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me." And how can they proclaim it unless they be sent?So the basis for missions: having heard, having believed, having known, we are now responsible to send those to tell others of this glorious salvation and righteousness that God has offered to all men, Jew and Greek, who will just simply believe on His son Jesus Christ. He bade them read that chapter, "Let not your hearts be troubled"; and, as they read it, he did not take the verses, and apply them to himself. Man complicates the issues. As positively as the law utters its promise and threat, so positively and unalterably doth the gospel deliver its decree. The words, which we preach, are added, that no one might have the suspicion that Paul differed from Moses; for he testifies, that in the ministration of the gospel there was complete consent between him and Moses; inasmuch as even Moses placed our felicity in nothing else but in the gratuitous promise of divine favor. No, if the law is once broken it is all over with you as to salvation thereby: one single fault takes away the possibility of your ever being justified by the law. He cared nothing for oratory, which I have heard him call "a flash in the pan"; he delighted in the plain, solid gospel of Jesus Christ. This is all perfectly true true of a Jew as of a pagan true of any unrenewed man that never heard of a Saviour. It is God Himself who, infinitely glorified in the Lord that expiated our sins by His one sacrifice, remits them now, not looking for our victory, nor as yet even in leading us on to victory, but by faith in Jesus and His blood. Being Pure, blazing, glorious Godhead, "Light of lights, very God of very God," on a sudden they found him in a stable hanging on a woman's breast. Notice that Paul describes Gods word as the word (a definite article occurs in the Greek text). I was found by those who did not seek Me; It is salvation that the gospel exhibits and tenders--saved from guilt and wrath, with the salvation of the soul, an eternal salvation, which Christ is the author of, a Saviour to the uttermost. The day hastens when the Redeemer shall come to Zion. And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? You may now believe in Christ and live eternally. That act denoted not even the washing away of our sins by the blood of Jesus, which would not apply to the case, nor in any adequate way meet the question of nature. I have tried my best; and so I close by bidding you hear WHAT EXPERIENCE SAITH. Cold desires do but beg denials; we must even breathe out our souls in every prayer. Let me hold you." To make his point Paul uses two Old Testament quotations. Isaiah says: "I was found of them who sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me." He was the promised Messiah, born King of the Jews. It is not here believing on Jesus, but on God who has proved what He is to us in raisin, from among the dead Him who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification (verses 13-25). . And "how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" The believing and the confession of that believing in God's own way are never to be separated, for "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Of these only a remnant would be saved. It is not as if we have to ascend into heaven or descend into the abyss to gain Jesus. (1-3) Israels refusal to submit to the righteousness of God. "Shall we sin," says he, proceeding yet farther (ver. It may well be that what we have here is the notes of some address which Paul was in the habit of making to the Jews to convince them of their error. So the gospel does not propose a second way, and suggest "a larger hope," but it declares with solemn decision, "He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." There is the vindication of God in His ways with the Old Testament believers. I have never been down-hearted at anything my life; certainly not at the thought of dying. Plug in, Turn on and Be En light ened! Having descended all that length he went lower still. This last relation was the direct subject of the prophetic testimony, and Jesus had come accordingly. (9-13) How Gods righteousness is gained by faith. It would not have been righteous in any sense to have remitted the sins, until they were actually borne by One who could and did suffer for them. The quickening power of God therefore was here set forth, of course historically in a way connected with this life and a posterity on earth, but nevertheless a very just and true sign of God's power for the believer the quickening energy of God after a still more blessed sort. So faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. Well, I can't either, but God didn't call me to reconcile it, He just called me to believe it.I tried to reconcile it for years until I was in such mental gymnastics I was worn out. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. (b) It is the normal title of the Roman Emperors. There is entrance into favour, and nothing but favour. But what saith it? The word for Lord is kurios ( G2962) . They're both true. They set up the golden calf, and thus cast off the true God, their God, even in the desert. 4). What about His word passed and sworn to the fathers? He will not be ashamed to own that Christ in whom he trusts; he that believes in the heart will not be ashamed to confess with the mouth. Do not suppose that anything is wanted as to doings or feelings in order to complete the righteousness which is wrought out by the Lord Jesus, and imputed by God to the believer. 12:1-21. Justification is not from works of law. It is not merely a call then; but as we have by our Lord Jesus Christ our access into the favour wherein we stand, so there is positive boasting in the hope of the glory of God. 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