studies in romans presentation 12. summary of contents opening remarks: 1:1-17 bad news:...

Studies in Romans

Presentation 12

Summary of Contents

OPENING REMARKS: 1:1-17BAD NEWS: Universality of sin and its condemnation 1:18 - 3:20GOOD NEWS : A gospel that changes our relationship to God 3:21- 5:21HOW TO GROW AS A CHRISTIAN : 6:1- 8-39

Sanctification 6:1-23The Place of the Law 7:1-25Life in the Spirit 8:1-39

A SHORT DETOUR : Questions concerning Israel 9:1-11:36HOW A CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO LIVE : 12:1-15:13 In our various relationships 12:1-13:14 Dealing with the ‘weak’ and the ‘strong’ 14:1-15:13PAUL’S GENTILE MINISTRY, POLICY AND PLANS : 15:14-33GREETINGS AND CLOSING DOXOLOGY : 16:1-27

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Studies in RomansThe Practical Benefits of

Justification Part 2Chap 5v1-11

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This process leads Paul back to the ‘glorious hope’ of v2. He wants to show that suffering can reinforce the Christian’s hope of glory. First, we are being prepared for glory here and now cf. 2 Cor. 4:17 ff.

Secondly, the chain of suffering results in a richer experience of God. Without suffering, laziness and spiritual flab would characterise our spiritual lives. Our faith would remain superficial. The winds of adversity cause the roots of a tree to strike deeper into the soil. So too, suffering causes the roots of our faith to strike deeper into God. Our experience of God grows as faith reaches up to heaven to draw down God's comfort and strength.

A Gospel that Changes… 3:21ff

The Practical Benefits of Justification: 5v1-11

3. “Character produces hope”.

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Illustration. A building contractor promises a landowner he will develop his land. After some months there is no evidence of any building. The landowner fears he has been swindled. But once the bulldozers appear on site, his doubts subside. Unsightly holes in the ground and cement dust in the air do not upset him. Indeed he is overjoyed. Why? Because they are an evidence of the contractor’s promise to build. The landowner no longer lives in the theoretical world of what might be, but in the practical world of what is being built. So too, when God's bulldozers move into our lives they awaken a sense of destiny confirming that God's plan is being outworked. Cf. Phil 1.6.




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Finally, character produces ‘hope of glory’ by separating the Christian from his sin. Sin has a hardening effect and if not continuously dealt with can cause the Christian to lose his sense of identity. It can desensitise him to the Word of God. It can cause God to appear increasingly unreal to the Christian by moving the centre of gravity of his life from the spiritual to the material. God uses suffering to restore our spiritual centre of gravity. In the furnace of affliction we see more clearly the ugliness of our sin that mars the sweetness of our communion with God.




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Why? One of the factors that encourages this irrepressible confidence in 'the hope of glory' lies in the fact that it is not merely a future event. Verse 5 speaks of the love of God ‘poured’ into the believer’s heart by the Holy Spirit.

It is not his love for God that is in view, but God’s love for him. The wonder of this truth strengthens heart assurance and is a foretaste of heaven on earth. It is the 'joy unspeakable and full of glory' of which Peter speaks. Eternal glory invades the heart of the believer here and now. Cf 1Pet.4.14



4. “Hope does not disappoint”

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Having dealt with the fruit of justification in v1-5, Paul addresses a fear that many of his readers might face. ‘Am I able to relax to enjoy the riches of God's provision, or do I live my life on the knife-edge of fear?’ Behind that fear lies this question. ‘What was it in God that has motivated him to make provision for my acceptance and create for me a place in his family?’ 1. Has God done so out of a sense of duty towards his creation? 2. Has he done so to satisfy some temporary need of his own?



An Exposition of God’s Love v6-8

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Paul answers that God’s plan of salvation is rooted in his unfathomable love. Nothing can give greater assurance of the certainty of our salvation, than the love of God. And so in v6-8 we have an exposition of God's love and in v9-10 some logical deductions from God's love are made. Christians often look in the wrong place for their security. They delve into their own hearts and take the temperature of their love for God. That is a recipe for disaster!A major characteristic of the greatest saints of all ages has always been their realisation of God's love for them.



An Exposition of God’s Love v6-8

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Salvation did not come about as a result of Jesus persuading a reluctant Father. Rather the initiative of love is seen in the expression 'at just the right time' in v6. God's plan was neither haphazard nor impulsive. It was not a case of God waiting until his love was great enough but waiting for the ‘right time’. Jesus’ birth coincided with a developed Roman road and communication system, with the ‘pax romana’ [a period of peace throughout the vast Roman empire], a richly developed widely used language [Greek], and time of great spiritual hunger – disillusionment with the Greek and Roman gods prevailed.



1. The focus of God’s Plan

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The greatness of God’s love was never in question. cf. 1 Jn. 4:9 ‘This is how God showed his love among us; he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.’How did God reveal his love to us. He did not send a servant like Moses or David. He sent his one and only Son in order to die for us. It is this death that unfolds God's love. For it is this death that saves us.



1. The focus of God’s Plan

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We are asked to consider the character of the people for whom Christ died. It is often said that it is easy to love the loveable, and to love those who are just like us. But God's love reaches out to the unlovable and to those who are least like himself. First the objects of God’s love are described as ‘powerless’. It may injure our pride but, in relation to securing salvation for ourselves, that is precisely what we are. This powerlessness of man is seen first in his inability to see spiritual truths clearly. Man is, by nature, blind to spiritual truths about God. Unless God draws back the curtain to reveal himself, man will never see.



2. The necessity of God’s plan

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Secondly, man is ‘powerless’ in his ability to give to God the obedience he requires. Man can do nothing to contribute to his salvation. He is worse than a baby, who cannot dress himself, feed himself, change himself and is dependent upon another to do for it all that it requires.

Thankfully, God has not said, ‘I will only help man once he has begun to help himself’. It is only to the extent that we have begun to recognise our total powerlessness that we will begin to appreciate the love of God, and all that he has done for us!



2. The necessity of God’s plan

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Who are meant by ‘ungodly’ v6? God created man in his image. This image, revealed in man’s reason and creativity, was also reflected in his role as God’s vice-regent over creation. But, as the result of man’s disobedience, that image of God was vandalised and is no longer recognisable. By pursuing greater dignity - man wanted to be like God- he lost the dignity that was his. He became ungodly.

The essence of ungodliness is seen in man’s opposition to God's rule. You can be a religious man, a praying man, and a worshipping man and still be ungodly!



3. The beneficiaries of the plan: The ungodly

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The measure of Christ’s love is seen in the fact that he died for those who were opposed to God's rule. Paul illustrates this truth in v7. It would be very rare for someone to die for a good man. But when God inspects our lives, he finds nothing that is truly good. The wonder of the gospel lies in the fact that God sent Jesus to die for us, not because we were loveable and good, but despite the fact that we were unloveable and bad! The people who have appreciated the love of God most have always been those who have realised their sinfulness most. [cf. Lk 7:36ff.]



3. The beneficiaries of the plan: The ungodly

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1. Argument from greater to lesser.Someone asks, ‘How can I be sure that I will not lose my salvation between now and the day of judgement?’ Paul uses an argument in logic moving from the greater to the lesser. If God has done a great thing for you, you can trust him to do a lesser thing.

God’s great gift is Jesus’ death, which secured our justification. We can surely trust God to do something less difficult i.e.keep us secure until the final stage of our salvation Which is our glorification! Justification anticipates glorification. Cf. Jn 5:24 ...

A Gospel that ChangesThe Practical Benefits of Justification: 5v1-11

Logical Deductions v9-11

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The believer’s final destiny is already determined in his justification. When God justifies a man, he makes a final pronouncement about him. In law it is possible for a judge to make an interim judgement. In other words, he leaves himself with room to manoeuvre and to change the verdict of the court dependent upon the behaviour of those involved, and upon any new facts that may be brought to light. God'sjustification is not an interim judgement. The man who is justified is the man who is safe!



1. Argument from greater to lesser.

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Paul continues by asking the believer to consider what his relationship was to God, when the great blessing of justification was given. You were his ‘enemies’! You were opposed to God, whether consciously or not. You were at war with God. You lived independent, self-centred lives that constantly challenged God's right to rule over you. When that was true of your relationship what did God do? He reconciled you to himself. He took the initiative. He justified you by his grace. Now follow Paul's logic.



2. Argument from a new relationship

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If God did all that when we were at war with him, is it likely that his attitude towards us will have deteriorated now that we are his adopted children? Will he do less for us, now that we are a part of his family, than he did for us when we were his enemies? It is unthinkable! If God would not let us go when we were his enemies, will he let us go now that we arehis children?




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The logic runs deeper cf v10 ‘How much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved in his life?’ Previously we existed outside Christ’s life, but now we are united to Jesus. Our life is bound to his. We are a part of the body of Christ and are engrafted into him ‘For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God’, Col.3.3 . Do you see the picture? God does not ask us “How tightly are you holding my hand?” but “Do you see how tightly I am holding on to yours?”Cf. Jn 10.28 ‘




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studies in romans presentation 12. summary of contents opening remarks: 1:1-17 bad news:...

Documents

richer experience of

chain of suffering results

christians hope of glory

chap 5v1

glorious hope of v2

spiritual flab

spiritual lives

bad news