Romans 12--A Living Sacrifice

In view of all that God has done to bring salvation to His people, both Jew and Gentile, should His people not serve Him?

Romans 12 opens by instructing the brethren to live in holiness, to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy...." (Ro 12:1). In order to do this sacrificial life of holiness, the believer must turn away from the pressures of the culture to sin (See also 1 John 2:15--17).

Romans 12:2 instructs: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind...." Instead of filling his mind with television, internet, music, magazines, newspapers, etc., the believer is to renew and refresh his mind by reading and meditating on the Word of God (See also Joshua 1:8).

Believers ought to think, act, speak, dress, in a way that is very different from the world; i.e., the culture around them. Therefore, they (as non-conformists) will experience persecution from those who live in conformity with the culture. However, beievers should be able to find solace and encouragement in the presence of fellow believers who share in their life of holiness. Believers are even given special spiritual gifts to enable them to minister to each other.

The church, as a body of believers, ought to be known for true righteousness and for love of the brethren for each other. Otherwise, it is no different from the rest of the culture; and, instead of encouraging holiness in the individual believer, it will persecute that believer much as the world in general persecutes anyone who does not go along with its dictates.

Romans 11--Gentiles Grafted In To Jewish Roots

God gave the Jews a religious system of sacrifice and ceremony in order to help them see the nature of their Messiah, the Christ (Jesus), who would be the epitome both of their sacrificial system (He was the Lamb of God slaughtered for their sins) and their ceremonial system (He was the anti-type, or fulfillment, for each of their Feasts; e.g., Christ, our Passover.)

In their religious practices, however, the Jews became more enamored with style than with substance; i.e., empty tradition. They used their system of religious laws to create a man-made self-righteousness that enabled them to feel superior over the Gentiles (who had not been so privileged as to have God speak directly to them and to give them His Commandments.)

As a result of their abusing the laws God had given them, these laws--their religious system--actually became a snare to them so that when their Messiah (Jesus) arrived, they could not recognize and honor Him (Ro 11:9). In their self-righteousness, the Jews had ceased to be a showcase demonstrating the righteousness of God. God then took away their privilege of being His spokesman to evangelize the unbelieving world.

Romans 11 presents a vivid illustration: the Jews are God's special olive tree. The Gentiles are a wild olive tree. The Jews, and their man-made religious system, are broken off the tree and the Gentile church is grafted in. The roots are Jewish.

The warning to the church is to beware of the snare that befell the Jews; i.e., do not use the church system as a man-made religion with empty rituals and traditions that enable the participants to appear righteous and thus feel superior to those who are not part of their religious system.

Romans 10--Warnings Against Self-Righteousness

The religious leaders in Jerusalem imposed a system of rules of conduct on their people and viewed it as a righteousness pleasing to God. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 10, explains that their legalistic rule-keeping resulted in a self-righteousness, not a Godly righteousness.

True righteousness comes by believing what God says (like Abraham did). The religious leaders knew God had said for them to obey the Messiah when He came, but they would not listen to God on this matter. They did not like it that the Messiah (Jesus) said that their laws were man-made and that their hypocritical religiosity was actually keeping people from finding true salvation through faith in God.

The religious leaders also knew God's Word included salvation for the Gentiles, but they would not listen to God on this matter, either. They preferred their man-made religious system that allowed them to feel superior to the Gentiles.

As a result of their hard-headed ways, God removed from them the privilege of being His spokesman to the unbelieving world. God gave this position to the church, which includes both Jew and Gentile.

The Apostle Paul warns the church (in Romans 11) that if they become arrogant and disobedient to God's instructions, that they will not last as His spokesman, either.

Before anyone judges the Jews too harshly, he should look at the church, especially his own church, and seek to determine if it is a religious organization following a system of man-made laws that produce self-righteousness.

Romans 9--God's Chosen People, The Elect

In order to better understand Romans 9, one should take a quick look at Romans, chapters 9-11: God chose Abraham and his progeny, the Israelites (Jews), to be His special people--they would receive His Commandments, live by them, and demonstrate the righteousness of God to the world around them so that the Gentiles, too, might come to know the one true God.

The Israelites, however, abused this privilege. Instead of being used by God as a showcase for the righteousness of God, they became arrogant and self-righteous for being God's "Chosen People." Their outward righteousness, but inner rebellion against God, is best seen in their hatred for God's Son, Jesus. Therefore, God removed their privilege of being His showcase for Godliness and He gave this privilege to another group--the church--made up of both Jew and Gentile.

Romans 9 explains that no one was ever saved (from his own sin and from God's wrath in judgment on that sin) just because he was a descendant of Abraham (an Israelite, a Jew). Abraham's "true" children, whether Jew or Gentile, are those individuals who share Abraham's faith in the one true God--they believe what God says as Abraham believed God.

To illustrate this truth, the Apostle Paul points out that Abraham's son Isaac shared Abraham's faith and followed God while Abraham's son Ishmael did not; Abraham's grandson Jacob had faith and followed God, while his twin brother Esau did not. No person has ever been saved because of his family ancestry--it is not by blood (John 1:13) but by believing God.

A distinction must be made between the nation of Israel, which was "chosen" to showcase God's righteousness, and the individual, whether Jew or Gentile, known as "chosen" because of his faith. The individual that believes God and follows God is saved; he is Abraham's child and a child of God. He attains this status by God's mercy. As salvation is not by blood, neither is it by works--good deeds--so that no one can boast. (Ro 9; Jn 1:12-13; Ep 2:8-9).

Anyone who is saved should be on his face before God in amazement, humility and gratitude!

Romans 8--Marvelous Promises!

Romans 8 reiterates Romans 7: God's righteous law could not and never did give anyone power to live a righteous life. Jesus, however, liberated believers from the condemnation of the law and provided them a new, godly nature, and along with it, the power to live a truly righteous life.

Romans 8 goes on to say that, since the nature of the believer is spiritual (the believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God), he ought to follow the leading of the Spirit in his conduct. Unlike the lost person, the believer is no longer alienated from God: he has been adopted into the family of God and is allowed to call God "Father."

As a family member, the believer is an heir: he will share in Christ's glory and he will receive a new, glorified, and immortal body. The believer is constantly being conformed to the image of Christ and his behavior should be increasingly Christ-like.

The Apostle Paul assures the believer that "...If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Ro 8:31). One way God is "for us" is through the intercessory prayers of both the Spirit (Ro 8:26) and Christ (Ro 8:34) on behalf of the believer.

Romans 8 ends with this wonderful assurance: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ...Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8 ought to make a brother want to jump up and spin around!

Romans 7--Freedom in Christ

As in Romans 6, Romans 7 centers on how Christ saves the believer from a life dominated by sin. Romans 7 goes on to explain the relationship between God's law, sin and righteousness.

The law is righteous and good, but it does not have power in and of itself to enable a person to live according to its precepts. To the contrary, the law--God's standard of righteousness--condemns each and every individual because no one can keep the law without violating it. Because of the human sin nature, everyone violates God's law; no one can claim purity on Judgment Day. Therein lies the need for a Savior--Someone who never did violate God's law and Who was willing to intercede on behalf of each believer.

Romans 7 illustrates the relationship of sin and law: a married woman is bound by law to her husband (as her master) until he dies. Then she is free from his dominance and free from the laws of marriage that dictated that dominance. Similarly, every person born is "married" to, or subject to, a master: his sin and the law of God that classifies him as a sinner. Everyone comes under the condemnation of God's law.

There was a death that released the married woman from her marriage vows. Similarly, there was a death that released the believer, a sinner, from being subject to God's condemning laws--that was the death of Christ. All believers are said to be "in" Christ (John 17). When Christ died, all believers "died" with Him. Therefore, through Christ, all believers have paid the price for their sin (death) and God's law cannot exact another payment of death out of them. Believers are in this sense free from God's law (free from the condemnation of it).

But, as seen in Romans 6, this freedom from the condemnation of God's law is not a license to sin. Romans 7 explains that the believer, released from his "marriage" to the law (that condemned him for his sin), is now "married" to another: to Christ. The fruit of this marriage is righteousness. What the Law could not provide (power to live a truly righteous life), Jesus could and did provide (more on this topic in Romans 8)!

Romans 7 does contain a matter of controversy: there is a struggle, or inner conflict, exhibited by a person who wants to follow God's law and live righteously but who repeatedly fails in his efforts. Does this struggle describe the believer?

The Apostle Paul explained clearly throughout Romans 5, 6 and 7 that Jesus set the believer free from sin being the master of his life. Just what does "free" mean? The believer is free from the sin nature with which he was born; he has been given a new nature, one that is bent toward righteousness. He has been given power--a means by which to live a righteous life. Part of the victory that is in Jesus is this ability to live righteously without this constant struggle with one's own sin nature! Glory halleluia!

Romans 6--Mastered By Sin or By Righteousness?

The dilemma, as summarized from Romans 5: Adam sinned. His progeny are born with a sin nature; i.e., human nature has a bent toward sinning. God hates sin. All people, born sinners, are subject to God's judgment for their sin and are doomed to hell. No one can deliver himself or anyone else out of this predicament.

Then came Jesus! Jesus was without sin; thus, in a position to stand in the sinner's place of judgment before God. God was satisfied. He raised Jesus from the dead. Those that receive Jesus as Lord and Master are given eternal life and a new nature that has a bent toward holiness. Good News!

Romans 6 explains further: For the believer the old sin nature no longer has the power to make him sin. However, the believer can still choose to sin. For a believer to continue in his sinful ways is unpleasing to God.

The believer has been given a new nature that is capable of living in purity and righteousness. The believer can and should choose to live in this righteousness that has been made available to him through the death and resurrection of Christ.

All people are born into a slavery of sorts. Because of the human sin nature, people are born slaves to sin. Believers receive a new, righteous nature, but they are still slaves--slaves to righteousness.

The unsaved person has no choice but to sin. The saved person has a choice: he may either continue to act in accordance with his old sin nature or he may serve his new master--righteousness. For the believer to continue in sin dishonors God. A person who just cannot get free of a sinful habit is either unsaved, ignorant of this freedom from sin granted to believers, or in a back-slidden rebellion against God.