Calvary
Chapel Bible College
February
17, 2021
Introduction
The letter of Paul to the Romans is considered Paul’s most important
letter. This is why it is placed in front of all his other writings.
When and Where
The year is around AD 57 or 58
In your Bible, we’d place the writing of this letter around Acts 20:2 –
that’s about when Paul wrote to the Romans from the city of Corinth.
Paul had been in Ephesus for three years, yet when persecution arose, he
makes his way up to Macedonia, writes 2Corinthians at Philippi, and then heads
south to Corinth where he writes his letter to Rome.
What it’s about
We’re going to see the first five chapters dealing with justification,
how a person is made right with God.
The next three chapters will deal with sanctification, the process
where we grow to be more like Jesus.
The next three chapters will unpack the differences between the Jew and
Gentile, and God’s plan for His people.
In the last five chapters, Paul will launch into personal, practical
matters – how do we live as Christians? What does the Christian life look like?
How do we get along with one another?
In building his case for justification, Paul started by showing that
The Gentiles were guilty of sin (ch.1)
The Jews were also guilty (ch.2)
God provided Jesus to pay for our sins (ch.3)
Paul showed that faith like Abraham is all that’s needed for salvation
(ch.4)
5:1-5 Trials refine faith
:1 Therefore, having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith
Therefore: Paul is now going to tell us why it’s such a big deal to
be “justified” with God.
Question: What does it mean to be “justified”?
(wait for answers…)
justified – dikaioo – to
render righteous; to declare one to be righteous
This is the word we saw used so much through chapter 3 & 4 where Paul
was making his argument about how a person becomes “righteous” in God’s eyes.
Question: How is a person made
“righteous”?
We saw that it does not happen from keeping the Law, it happens through
faith, just like Abraham found. Faith in
Christ’s sacrifice for us.
:1 we have peace with God
peace – eirene – a state
of national tranquility; peace between individuals, i.e. harmony
This is not the “peace of God”, but peace “with” God. (same word, different
prepositions/cases)
Before we become “justified”, we have a big problem.
Our sin puts us at odds with God. We are His enemies. James writes,
(James 4:4 NKJV) Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with
the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the
world makes himself an enemy of God.
Lesson
Enjoy the peace
You know, peace between two warring parties can be a wonderful thing.
We have peace with God.
If we’re not careful, we can fall under the lie that says we must work hard
to please God.
But it’s not works that makes peace, it’s faith.
Illustration
Johnny Miller writes, “When I was a teenager, I became fascinated,
appalled, and grieved by the literature of the Holocaust … One scene that
haunts me is a picture from Auschwitz. Above the entryway to the concentration
camp were the words, Arbeit macht frei. The same thing stood above the
camp at Dachau. It means, “work makes free”—work will liberate you and give you
freedom. It was a lie—a false hope. The Nazis made the people believe hard work
would equal liberation, but the promised “liberation” was horrifying suffering
and even death. Arbeit macht frei. One reason that phrase haunts me is
because it is the spiritual lie of this age. It is a satanic lie. It’s a religious
lie. It is a false hope—an impossible dream for many people in the world. They
believe their good works will be great enough to outweigh their bad works,
allowing them to stand before God in eternity and say, “You owe me the right to
enter into your heaven.” It is the hope of every false religion—arbeit macht
frei.”
From Johnny
V. Miller's sermon, "The Great Rescue," PreachingToday.com (4-14-07)
The truth is, we are at peace with God – only because of what Jesus did for
us. We receive God’s approval only by trusting Him, having faith that Jesus
died for us.
Oh that we could just learn to enjoy the peace we
have with God.
:2 through whom also we
have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
:2 we have access by faith into this grace
access – prosagoge –
(“toward” + “to lead”) a moving to; approach; “privilege of approach” to a
person of high rank
we have – the verb is a “perfect” tense, we obtained access in the
past, and the results continue on into the present.
we stand – the verb is also a “perfect” tense, we were able to stand
in the past, and we are still standing in the grace of God.
We could translate this: “through
Jesus Christ we have gained access to God in the past, and still enjoy that
access, and we gained the gift or grace of this access through our faith, and
we not only have stood in this access, but are still standing in it.”
Lesson
Special access
It’s kind of a cool thing to go to special places where not everyone is
allowed to go.
Have you ever had a chance to spend some time with a famous person you
respected? Ever been in a restaurant when a movie star, rock star, or surfing
legend (huh?) walked in and sat down?
On one vacation, we took our boys on the special “VIP” tour of Universal
Studios. All three of my sons love movies and the process of making them. The VIP tour costs a bit more, but you are
taken into places in the studio that the rest of the guests don’t get to go. You see some of the workshops where props are made. You
go to a soundstage where they do the sound effects for movies and TV. You get
to go through the warehouse where props are stored – like a giant Costco with
aisles of toasters, combat weapons, fake shovels, dinnerware, furniture,
statues, etc.
Once we took our staff to see Chris Tomlin in concert and bought the “VIP”
passes. It was pretty
cool to talk to Chris for a few minutes and take a picture.
Back in the late 90’s Harvest Crusade used to invite pastors to sit up on stage during the Crusade. Before the Crusade starts, you’re down in the
“green room” hanging out with the musicians and pastors. You stand in a circle
before going out and get to pray for the Crusade with Greg Laurie and Chuck
Smith. It’s quite an amazing thing to watch the event from the stage, sitting
with people like Dennis Agajanian, and Crystal Lewis. But the most awesome
thing is to watch the thousands come out of the stands to accept Christ. An
unreal, amazing experience.
We have the most amazing thing available to us as Christians.
We are allowed into the throne room of the Almighty.
We have “access” to God Himself.
(Hebrews 4:16 NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.
This comes because “peace” has been achieved with God by believing in Jesus
Christ.
So what will you do with this special “access” to
God?
It’s not even limited to office hours M-F. God is
available to you 24/7.
:2 rejoice in hope of the glory of God
rejoice – kauchaomai – to glory; to glory on account of a thing
The verb is a present tense, we are currently and
continually rejoicing.
(Romans 5:2 NLT) …and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s
glory.
Lesson
A glorious future
We have the coolest things in our future.
(Rom 8:28-32 NKJV) And we know that all things work together for
good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His
purpose. {29} For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the
image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. {30}
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He
also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. {31} What then
shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? {32} He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He
not with Him also freely give us all things?
God has a purpose to be making us to be more
and more like Jesus. He has justified us, He will also “glorify” us – we
will have “glory”, we will shine like Jesus.
(John 14:1-3 NKJV) "Let not your heart be troubled; you
believe in God, believe also in Me. {2} "In My Father's house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. {3} "And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that
where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus wanted to comfort His disciples about their future. Their
future was going to be with Jesus. Jesus was preparing the way ahead for us
when He died, rose, and ascended into heaven.
(1 John 3:1–3 NKJV)
—1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we
should be called children of God! Therefore the world
does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now
we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but
we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as
He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He
is pure.
We may not exactly be sure what it’s all going to be like,
though we do have glimpses of heaven from the Scriptures.
We do know that we will be like Jesus. When we look at
Jesus in His glorified body, that’s a hint of what’s up ahead for us – stuff
like glowing in the dark, disappearing into nowhere, walking through walls,
even flying. Cool!
(1 Corinthians
15:50–54 NKJV) —50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit
incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must
put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on
incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
For some of us, we won’t be experiencing death. For
believers who are alive at the time of the Rapture, we will be instantly
changed into our new, glorified bodies.
(Revelation 21:3–4
NKJV) —3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they
shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be
no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the
former things have passed away.”
For those of you thinking of going further in ministry,
this is one of those great gems to share at a believer’s funeral.
This is just one of the peeks at life in “forever”. We
will dwell with God. No more tears. No more death. No more pain.
Illustration
There’s a story about an old missionary couple coming home
from spending years in Africa. They were booked on the same ship as President
Teddy Roosevelt who was returning from a successful big-game safari. As the
ship pulled into the harbor, the crowds were lining the docks to cheer on the
President. But nobody was waiting or cheering for the missionaries.
That night the man was so depressed that nobody seemed to
care about how they had spent their life. The man’s wife said, “Why don’t you
go in the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?” A short time later he came out
from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked,
“Dear, what happened?” “The Lord settled it with me,” he said. “I told him how
bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when
no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the
Lord put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, ‘But you’re not home yet!’”—
-
Ray Stedman, Talking to My Father
We have a glorious future, and it’s not in this life.
:3 And not only that,
but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
:3 we also glory in tribulations,
glory – kauchaomai – to
glory (whether with reason or without); to glory on account of a thing; to
glory in a thing;
This is the same word that was translated “rejoice” in verse 2. He’s going
to talk about another reason to be rejoicing, to be happy.
The verb is also a present tense, we are currently
and continually rejoicing.
In verse 2 we were reminded about the things in our future we should be
rejoicing about.
In this verse we are reminded about the things in our present that we
should be rejoicing about.
tribulation – thlipsis – a
pressing, pressing together, pressure; oppression, affliction, tribulation,
distress
It is the word used to describe the “Great Tribulation” coming on the earth
before Jesus comes back (Mat. 24:21).
(Matthew
24:21 NKJV) For then there will be great tribulation, such
as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever
shall be.
It is used to describe the time of famine that made Jacob’s family go down
to Egypt. (Acts 7:11)
(Acts 7:11 NKJV) Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and
Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.
It is used to describe the first persecution the early church went through
after Stephen was stoned (Acts 11:19)
(Acts 11:19 NKJV) Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over
Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word
to no one but the Jews only.
James (1:27) uses the word to describe the difficult life that widows and
orphans had.
(James 1:27 NKJV) Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to
visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted
from the world.
It is the word Jesus used to describe the troubles that can make shallow
Christians fall away.
(Matthew
13:21 NKJV) yet he has no root in himself,
but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution
arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
Lesson
The value of trouble
It’s one thing to shout “Woo-Hoo” about heaven, but shouting for joy for
the tough times? It sounds like somebody is a little twisted, like the person
who wrote this ad:
LOST DOG with 3 legs, blind in left eye, missing right ear, tail broken and recently castrated. Answers to the name of
“Lucky.”
-- Barbara Johnson, Stick a Geranium in
Your Hat and Be Happy, Word, 1990, p.1.
Our tendency is to run from anything that begins to hint at being trouble. We
think of “tribulation” or “pressure” as being bad.
It’s not necessarily bad.
Our English word “tribulation” comes from the Latin “tribulum”
Illustration
In the pictures of the ancient Roman method of threshing
grain, one man is always seen stirring up the cut stalks while another rides
over them in a crude cart equipped with rollers instead of wheels. Sharp stones
and rough bits of iron were attached to these cylinders to help separate the
husks from the grain.
This simple cart/sled was called a tribulum—from
which we get our word “tribulation.”
Sometimes the tribulum was a sled with spikes on the
bottom, and it was dragged over the grain for the same reasons.
When great affliction comes to us, we often think of
ourselves as being torn to pieces under the cruel pressures of adverse
circumstances. Yet as no thresher ever yoked up his tribulum for the
mere purpose of tearing up the stalks of grain but instead to
be able to separate the grain from the chaff, our loving Savior never
puts us under the pressure of sorrow and disappointment without having
something useful in mind.
God has promises for us when we’re in “tribulation”:
Jesus promises us peace when we’re clinging to Him:
(John 16:33 NKJV) These things I have spoken to you,
that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation;
but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Tribulation cannot separate us from the love of Christ:
(Romans 8:35 NKJV) Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
God has comfort for us, and wants us to give comfort to others in it:
(2 Corinthians 1:4 NKJV) who comforts us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the
comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
I know that when most of us are going through a tough time, if we think
about asking for prayer we usually are asking that
people would pray that the tough time would be over quick.
I wonder if we ought to change some of our prayer requests.
Maybe we should be asking: “God help me to learn what I
should in this tough time”.
:3 knowing that
tribulation produces perseverance
produces – katergazomai –
to perform, accomplish, achieve; bring about, result in;
present tense – right now it is producing this work of perseverance.
Here’s one of the positive byproducts of “tribulation”
perseverance – hupomone (“under”
+ “to remain”) – steadfastness, constancy, endurance; in the NT the
characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his
loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings
a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance
James says almost the same thing as Paul:
(James 1:2–4 NKJV)
—2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
The word for “patience” is the same as Paul’s word for “perseverance”.
This is one of the products of a difficult time – endurance, patience,
perseverance.
An athlete doesn’t build endurance without “tribulation”, without having an
exercise program of workouts. Think of it as “stamina”.
When you are out of shape and haven’t exercised in awhile, you have
to slowly build up your stamina.
Illustration
Wilma didn’t get much of a head start in life. A bout with
polio left her left leg crooked and her foot twisted inward so she had to wear
leg braces. After seven years of painful therapy, she could walk without her
braces. At age 12 Wilma tried out for a girls’ basketball team but didn’t make
it. Determined, she practiced with a girlfriend and two boys every day. The
next year she made the team. When a college track coach saw her during a game,
he talked her into letting him train her as a runner. By age 14 she had outrun
the fastest sprinters in the United States. In 1956 Wilma made the U.S. Olympic
team but showed poorly. That bitter disappointment motivated her to work harder
for the 1960 Olympics in Rome—and there Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals,
the most a woman had ever won.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Patience (endurance, stamina) is part of what makes you mature (teleios),
grown up.
The writer or Hebrews also talks about “training” and difficult times:
(Heb 12:11 NLT) No
discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward
there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this
way.
Take your difficult time as “training”. Learn to embrace it, not run away.
Lesson
Don’t ignore your training
In the original “Karate Kid” movie, young “Daniel-son”
wants to learn Karate, and Mr. Miyagi eventually agrees to teach him.
Mr. Miyagi doesn’t give him karate exercises, but
has him wax his car, paint the fence, and sand the floor. Daniel-son
begins to think he’s being taken advantage of.
And then it all comes together…I apologize for any rough language…
We have a hard time seeing it when we’re going through “tribulation”, but
God is training us, making us more useful, more mature.
:4 and perseverance,
character; and character, hope.
:4 and perseverance, character;
character – dokime – approved,
tried character; a proof, a specimen of tried worth;
NAS has “proven worth”
It’s a word used of coins in the ancient world, coins that were not
counterfeit, but were tested and “proven genuine”.
Trials produce endurance. Endurance produces “character”
Lesson
Enduring shows who you are
(keyword)
It has been said,
“You can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a
rainy holiday, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”
Corrie Ten Boom was a young Christian girl imprisoned in a Nazi
concentration camp. Her difficulty revealed the deep character that God was
building in her. She writes,
It was Christmas, 1944. Betsie had died. I was in a hospital barracks in
Ravensbruck. Dark it was in my heart, and darkness was around me. There were
Christmas trees in the street between the barracks. Why, I don’t know. They
were the saddest Christmas trees I ever saw in my life. I am sure it was with
the purpose of blaspheming that they had thrown dead bodies of prisoners under
the Christmas trees. I tried to talk to the people around me about Christmas,
but they mocked, ridiculed, and sneered at whatever I said. At last I was quiet. It was in the middle of the night that I
suddenly heard a child crying and calling, “Mommy! Come to Oelie, Oelie feels
so alone.” I went to her and saw a child not so young, but feebleminded. “Oelie,
Mommy cannot come, but do you know who is willing to come to you? That is
Jesus.” The girl was lying on a bed next to the window, not far from my bed. Although
Oelie was completely emaciated from lack of food, she had a sweet face,
beautiful eyes, and wavy hair. It was so touching to hear her call for her
mother. Oelie had been operated on and the incision on her back was covered by
a bandage of toilet paper. That night I told this poor child about Jesus. How
He came into the world as a little baby—how He came to save us from our sins. “The
Lord Jesus loves Oelie and has borne her punishment on the cross. Now Oelie may
go to heaven, and Jesus is there right now. He is getting a little house ready
for Oelie.” Later I asked her what she remembered of what I had told her. “What
is the little house like?” I asked. “It is very beautiful. There are no wicked
people as in Ravensbruck—only good people and angels. And Oelie will see Jesus
there.” Then Oelie folded her hands; together we gave thanks. Then I knew why I
had to spend this Christmas in Ravensbruck -- 1944.
-- Corrie's
Christmas Memories
Someone living in Ravensbruck, experiencing that kind of
persecution, and focusing only on sharing Jesus… that’s “character”.
Illustration
Spurgeon writes,
“When the green leaves decorate the trees and the season
is fair, one cannot readily find the birds' nests, but when the winter strips
the trees, anyone with half an eye may see them. In the same way the Christian
may scarcely be discerned amid the press of business and prosperity; his hidden
life is concealed amid the thick and throng of the things of earth. But let
affliction come, a general sickness, or severe losses in the family, and you
shall see the Christian man plainly enough in the gracious patience by which he
rises superior to trial. The sick bed reveals the man; the burning house, the
sinking ship, the panic on the exchange--all these make manifest the hidden
ones. In many a true believer, true piety is like a drum which nobody hears of
unless it be beaten.”
One of the blessings of your trial is that people are going to see that
“inner life”, they’re going to see your true character.
:4 and character, hope
hope – elpis –
expectation; expectation of good, hope; joyful and confident expectation of
eternal salvation
As we endure trials, we learn that some things in life can be counted on,
others can’t. I can’t depend upon people. I can’t depend upon circumstances.
I can always depend upon the Lord.
I am left with nothing but hope in my Savior.
We learn as the Psalmist did:
(Psalm 46:1–2 NKJV)
—1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in
trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be
removed, And though the mountains be carried into the
midst of the sea;
Learning to endure trials ultimately produces hope in a God who loves me.
:5 Now hope does not
disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the
Holy Spirit who was given to us.
:5 hope does not
disappoint
Lesson
Living Hope
It’s because of the love of God
that has been effectually poured out on us by the Holy Spirit that we find
hope.
Hope doesn’t let us down but
keeps encouraging us to keep going.
Illustration
Once upon a time, certain strong laborers were sent forth by the great King
to level a primeval forest, to plow it, to sow it, and to bring to him the
harvest. They were stout-hearted and strong, and willing enough for labor, and
much they needed all their strength and more. One stalwart
laborer was named Industry—consecrated work was his. His brother Patience, with
muscles of steel, went with him, and tired not in the longest days under the
heaviest labors. To help them they had Zeal, clothed
with ardent and indomitable energy. Side by side there stood his kinsman
Self-denial. These went forth to their labor, and they took with them, to cheer
their toils, their well-beloved sister Hope; and well it was they did, for they
needed the music of her consolation before the work was done, for the forest
trees were huge and demanded many sturdy blows of the axe before they would
fall upon the ground. One by one the giant forest kings were overthrown, but
the labor was immense and incessant. At night when they went to their rest, the
day’s work always seemed so light, for as they crossed the threshold, Patience,
wiping the sweat from his brow, would be encouraged, and Self-denial would be
strengthened by hearing the sweet voice of Hope within singing, “God will bless
us; God, even our own God, will bless us.” They felled the lofty trees to the
music of that strain; they cleared the acres one by one, they tore from their
sockets the huge roots, they delved the soil, they sowed the corn and waited
for the harvest, often much discouraged, but they still held to their work as
by silver chains and golden fetters by the sweet sound of the voice that
chanted so constantly, “God, even our own God, will bless us.” They never could
refrain from service, for Hope could never refrain from song. They were ashamed
to be discouraged, they were shocked to be despairing, for still the voice rang
clearly out at noon and eventide, “God will bless us; God, even our own God,
will bless us.”
You know the parable, you recognize the voice. May
you hear it in your souls today!
-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
:5 the love of God has
been poured out
disappoint – kataischuno (“according
to” + “shame”) – to dishonor, disgrace; to put to shame; one is said to be put
to shame whom some hope has deceived
love – agape – brotherly
love, affection, good will, love, benevolence
poured out – ekcheo – to
pour out, shed forth; to bestow or distribute largely; perfect tense – has been
poured out and we still see the effects today
been poured out – ekcheo –
to pour out, shed forth
Part of the work that the Holy Spirit does in our lives is to remind us how
much God loves us.
We’re not disappointed by having hope in God because of what the Holy
Spirit does – pouring out the love of God
The word for “poured out” is a “perfect tense”.
It has been poured out and the results are still
going on.
Now Paul is going to delve a
little deeper into what that love of God is all about.
5:6-11 Christ loves sinners
:6 For when we were still
without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
:6 when we were still without strength
without strength – asthenes (“not”
+ “strong”) – weak, infirm, feeble
Illustration
There is a vivid picture of Christ’s sacrifice for sin in Mark Twain’s
novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The story tells the
adventures of an ordinary man (the Connecticut Yankee) from the 19th
century, who is transported back to the medieval world of King Arthur. At one
point he convinces King Arthur to dress like a peasant and take a journey
through his kingdom. The results are generally laughable as the king,
completely oblivious to life in the trenches, tries to carry on with all the pomp
of the court while those around him simply think he is crazy. But there is a
touching chapter titled “The Smallpox Hut” describing how the king and his
companion happen upon a beggar’s hovel. The husband lies dead, and the wife
tries to warn them away:
“For the fear of God, who visits with misery and death such as be harmless,
tarry not here, but fly! This place is under his curse.…” The king replies,
“Let me come in and help you, you are sick and in trouble.” The woman asks the
king to go into the loft and check on their child. “It was a desperate place
for him to be in, and might cost him his life,” observes the Yankee, “but it
was no use to argue with him.” The king disappears up a ladder looking for the
girl. There was a slight noise from the direction of the dim corner where the
ladder was. It was the king descending. I could see that he was bearing
something in one arm, and assisting himself with the
other. He came forward into the light; upon his breast lay a slender girl of
15. She was but half conscious; she was dying of smallpox. Here was heroism at
its last and loftiest possibility, its utmost summit; this was challenging
death in the open field unarmed, with all the odds against the challenger, no
reward set upon the contest, and no admiring world in silks and cloth-of-gold
to gaze and applaud; and yet the king’s bearing was as serenely brave as it had
always been in those cheaper contests where knight meets knight in equal fight
and clothed in protecting steel. He was great now; sublimely great. The rude
statues of his ancestors in his palace should have an addition.—I
would see to that; and it would not be a mailed king killing a giant or a
dragon, like the rest. It would be a king in commoner’s garb bearing death in
his arms.
Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills,
Illinois; source: Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,
chapter XXIX
:6 Christ died for the ungodly
in due time – kairos – due
measure; a measure of time, a larger or smaller portion of time, a fixed and
definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch
waited for; opportune or seasonable time; the right time; a definitely
limited portion of time with the added notion of suitableness
Jesus came at just the right time.
(Galatians
4:4 NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God
sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
for – huper – in behalf of, for the sake of; instead of; in place of
This is the same word that will be used two times in verse 7 and one more
time in verse 8.
The concept is that of a person dying in the place of another person.
ungodly – asebes (“not” +
“reverent”) – destitute of reverential awe towards God
We already saw this word last week when we talked about how David was an
example of justification by faith.
(Romans 4:5 NKJV) But to him who does not work but believes on
Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
God starts with an “ungodly” man, and makes him right, but
only through faith.
Illustration
In a collection of folk tales, William J. Faulkner relates the story of a
disobedient lamb. A mother sheep had warned her little ones, “Do not go near
the river, for a bad tiger lives there, and he will kill and eat you.” One lamb
kept toying with the thought that the grass near the river seemed to be greener
than elsewhere and that his mother must be mistaken about
a tiger being there. Finally, his curiosity and desire for greener grass led
him near the riverbank. After grazing for some while on the luscious grass, he
scampered down to the water for a drink.
Suddenly he heard a gruff voice saying, “What are you doing, drinking from
my river and muddying my water?” The disobedient lamb began excusing himself,
but the tiger came closer, saying “I’m going to kill and eat you.” As the tiger
sprang toward the helpless lamb, the mother sheep ran between them, taking the
death-dealing blows of claws and fangs in her own body. Thus, the disobedient
lamb was spared and scampered up the riverbank to safety.
We are the “ungodly”, the disobedient lamb, and Christ died in our place at
just the right time.
He didn’t die for “pretty good” people.
He died for the ungodly.
:7 For scarcely for a
righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare
to die.
scarcely – molis – with
difficulty, hardly; not easily, very rarely
for – huper – in place of
righteous – dikaios –
righteous, observing divine laws; innocent, faultless
The word might describe someone who is right before God, but not
necessarily a nice person.
for – huper – in place of
perhaps – tacha – hastily,
quickly, soon; peradventure, perhaps
would even dare – tolmao –
not to dread or shun through fear; to bring one’s self
to; to be bold; bear one’s self boldly, deal boldly
good man – agathos – of
good constitution or nature; useful; good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy;
excellent, distinguished; upright, honorable
It implies a kindness and attractiveness not necessarily possessed by the
“righteous”, who merely measures up to a high standard of rightness.
:7 scarcely for a righteous man will one die
What’s the difference between “righteous” and “good”?
One scholar (Lightfoot) says it is a difference of sympathy mainly, the
“righteous” man being “absolutely without sympathy” while the “good” man “is
beneficent and kind.”
Here’s the idea, “It would be difficult to find someone to die in the place
of another person, even if they are a cold but righteous person. It’s possible
that someone might be coaxed into dying for a person who is really
well liked, but …”
:8 But God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.
demonstrates – sunistao –
to place together, to bring or band together; to put together by way of
composition or combination, to teach by combining and comparing; to show,
prove, establish, exhibit
God teaches us about what His love is all about by putting together two
things:
We are sinners.
Christ died for us.
:8 while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
Lesson
He really loves us
for – huper – in place of;
He died in our place.
The highest demonstration of love is laying down your life for another
person. Jesus said,
(John 15:13 NKJV) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one’s life for his friends.
But Paul’s point is that Jesus didn’t just lay down His life for His
friends. He didn’t just lay down his life for righteous people who deserve to
live. He didn’t lay down His life for nice people that He liked.
He laid down His life for His enemies.
Jesus didn’t die for us because we were Jews or Greeks. He didn’t die for
us because we were rich or poor. He didn’t die for us because we were smart or
stupid. He didn’t die for us because we were beautiful or ugly.
He died for us because we were sinners. Just plain old sinners.
He died for the “weak” (“without strength”, vs. 6)
He died for the “ungodly” (vs. 6)
He died for “sinners” (vs. 8)
He died for His enemies (vs. 10)
Illustration
It was 1944, and Bert Frizen was an infantryman on the front lines in
Europe. American forces had advanced in the face of intermittent shelling and
small-arms fire throughout the morning hours, but now all was quiet. His patrol
reached the edge of a wooded area with an open field before them. Unknown to
the Americans, a battery of Germans waited in a hedgerow about two hundred
yards across the field.
Bert was one of two scouts who moved out into the clearing. Once he was
halfway across the field, the remainder of his battalion followed. Suddenly the
Germans opened fire, and machine gun fire ripped into both of Bert's legs. The
American battalion withdrew into the woods for protection, while a rapid
exchange of fire continued.
Bert lay helplessly in a small stream as shots volleyed overhead. There
seemed to be no way out. To make matters worse, he now noticed that a German
soldier was crawling toward him. Death appeared imminent; he closed his eyes
and waited. To his surprise, a considerable period passed without the expected
attack, so he ventured opening his eyes again. He was startled to see the
German kneeling at his side, smiling. He then noticed that the shooting had
stopped. Troops from both sides of the battlefield watched anxiously. Without
any verbal exchange, this mysterious German reached down to lift Bert in his
arms and proceeded to carry him to the safety of Bert's comrades.
Having accomplished his self-appointed mission, and still without speaking
a word, the German soldier turned and walked back across the field to his own
troop. No one dared break the silence of this sacred moment. Moments later the
cease-fire ended, but not before all those present had witnessed how one man
risked everything for his enemy.
Bert's life was saved through the compassion of a man whom he considered
his enemy. This courageous act pictures what Jesus did for us.
-- Lynn McAdam, West
Germany. Leadership, Vol. 17, no. 4.
When did God start loving you?
Did He start loving you when you prayed the sinner’s prayer? Did He start
loving you when you went forward at a Harvest Crusade? Did He start loving you
when you began to turn things around in your life?
God loved you when you were still a sinner.
God loved you when you didn’t have a clue as to who He was.
God loved you when you lived a wicked, rebellious life.
Some of us have this notion, perhaps we’ve had people tell us, that God
isn’t going to love us anymore if we do some certain thing.
Not true.
Do you ever feel like you are unworthy of God’s love?
Then you are just the person God is looking to love.
God truly loves you.
Illustration
Jeannette Clift George, in “Belonging
and Becoming,” writes,
On a short flight from Tucson to Phoenix, as I got on, I noticed a young
woman with her baby. They were both dressed in white pinafores. The mother was
smiling, and the little baby was saying “Dada, Dada.” And the little baby was
darling. She wore a little pink bow where there would probably be hair pretty soon, and it was just darling. And they sat down
opposite me. Every time anybody went by, the baby would say, “Dada, Dada.”
The young mother said they were going home, and Daddy was waiting for them.
I think they had been gone overnight—it was a long,
long time like that!
Everybody was so happy, and we all enjoyed the little baby. The mother had
a little Thermos with orange juice in it. She kept feeding the baby, a little
fruit and then a little juice. It was a rough flight. Every time the baby cried
the mother fed her a little bit more orange juice and a little more fruit.
I don’t know how to get out of this story without telling you the truth.
The flight was very turbulent. (The flight was so rough that the attendants had
to stay seated.) All of the fruit that had gone down
came up. I think more came up than had gone down; I think there was more up
than there was baby, and it was startling; the carpet was not in good
condition. It was a mess.
Those of us on the opposite side of the aisle were not in good condition at
all. We kept trying to tell the young mother it was just fine. We were handing
her tissues and things. (Most of us have been babies.) It was a very loving
time, but a mess. The baby was crying, and she looked awful. We couldn’t cry,
but we looked awful. The mother was so sorry about it.
We landed. The minute we landed, baby was fine: “Dada, Dada.” The rest of
us were just awful. We began to get off the plane, and we all moved very
carefully. I had on a suit, and I was trying to decide whether to burn it or
just cut off the sleeve. Have you ever tried to get away from something really unpleasant and it was you? Well
that’s the way we were. It was really bad.
I looked out of the plane, and there waiting was the young man who had to
be Daddy: white slacks, white shirt, white flowers, and a little green paper. I
thought, I know what’s going to happen. He’s going to run to that baby who now looks awful—I mean
the hair and the pinafore were dreadful. He’s going to run to that baby, get
one look, and keep on running, saying, “Not my kid!”
As he ran to the young mother, I wouldn’t say she threw the baby at him,
but she did kind of leave quickly to go get cleaned up. He picked up that baby,
and I watched him as he hugged that baby and kissed that baby and stroked that
baby’s hair. He said, “Daddy’s baby’s come home.
Daddy’s baby’s come home.”
I watched them all the way to the luggage claim area. He never stopped
kissing that baby. He never stopped welcoming that baby back home. I thought, Where did I ever get the idea that my Father God is less loving than a young daddy in white slacks
and white shirt with white flowers and a green paper.
:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through Him.
:9 having now been justified by His blood
justified – dikaioo – to
render righteous or such he ought to be
God has made us right in His eyes by having Jesus shed His blood for us.
Blood is the “life” of a person. Jesus gave His life for us. He died in our
place.
We are not saved by God’s love.
Don’t get me wrong. God does love us.
But God doesn’t sneak us into the back door of heaven just because He loves
us.
We are saved because Jesus died in our place.
We are saved because Jesus paid for our sins.
Illustration
It is the closing scene in the motion picture, Ben Hur. The sky is
disappearing behind the ominous looking cloud formations. The movie camera
takes a long shot of three crosses rising out of a distant hill. Then the
camera moves in close, closer, to the figure stretched out on the center cross.
Lightning reveals a man squirming in silent agony to the rhythm of the flashes.
It is raining hard. With each flash of light, the pool of rain
water at the foot of the cross grows larger. Suddenly a single drop of
blood drips into the pool and scatters. Then another drop falls. And then
another. The pool is now tinted light red. The rain comes harder and the pool
overflows into another pool immediately below it. The second pool reddens and
enlarges, overflowing into still another pool which, in turn, overflows into a
small stream. The blood-stained stream flows into a larger stream which meets a
river which flows into an ocean. (Matt. 26:28)
:9 Much more then –
Paul gives an argument “from greater to the lesser”.
The idea is this: If we’ve been saved from our sins through the blood of
Jesus being spilled for us, then surely we shall be
saved from the wrath that is coming.
:9 we shall be saved from wrath through Him
we shall be saved – sozo –
keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
Future tense – It is going to happen. Not “maybe” but “definitely”.
from wrath – orge – anger,
indignation; anger exhibited in punishment
God will punish sin and disobedience.
We call this justice.
Lesson
Saved from Wrath
There are two times of wrath that we should be aware of.
1. Hell - Eternal wrath
This is what is coming for all who do not trust Jesus to pay for their
sins.
Jesus painted a picture of it when He told the story of the Rich man and
Lazarus. Both men died.
Lazarus went to Abraham’s bosom and was comforted.
The rich man went to hell.
(Luke
16:23–24 NKJV) —23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue;
for I am tormented in this flame.’
Isaiah ended his book with this warning:
(Isaiah 66:24 NKJV) “And they shall go forth and look Upon the
corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire
is not quenched.
They
shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
We sometimes get the idea that hell is where God puts people when God is
having a bad day.
Ted Turner was quoted as saying, “I don’t want anybody to die for me. I’ve
had a few drinks and a few girl friends. If that’s going to put me in hell,
then so be it.”
-- Ted Turner in a
1993 issue of USA today
Hell is not about God having a bad day. Hell is about justice.
God doesn’t want anyone going to hell. God created hell
for the devil and his demons.
Jonathan Edwards wrote, The use of this awful subject may be for awakening
unconverted persons to a conviction of their danger.
This that you have heard is the case of every one out
of Christ. That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended
abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath
of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand
upon, nor anything to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but
the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.
Hell is the correct penalty for our rebellion against God.
(Ephesians
5:6 NKJV) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for
because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
God doesn’t want you to go to hell, that’s why He sent Jesus to die for us.
(John 3:36 NKJV) He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does
not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
2. The Great Tribulation – a
time of great difficulty that is coming on the earth.
It will last for seven years.
It is the time when the antichrist will rule the world.
In the book of Revelation when the Tribulation begins to break out on the
earth, the world leaders will be hiding in caves and saying to the rocks:
(Revelation
6:16–17 NKJV) —…“Fall on us
and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath
of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath
has come, and who is able to stand?”
It is the time of God’s wrath because God will be making
things right, He will be punishing mankind for their wickedness.
We believe it will take place sometime after the “Rapture” of the church,
when God removes Christians from this planet.
Some believe that the church will go through the tribulation, but we
believe the Scriptures hint that the church won’t go through the tribulation, but will be “taken up” before these times. Why?
(1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV) For God did not appoint us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
We think this principle applies to more than just eternal
wrath, but also the wrath of the Tribulation period as well.
:10 For if when we were
enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more,
having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
:10 we were reconciled to God
enemies – echthros –
hated, odious; hostile
reconciled – katallasso –
to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value; return to favor
with, be reconciled to one
Lesson
Reconciliation
(2 Corinthians
5:18–21 NKJV) —18 Now all things are of God,
who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ
reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and
has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on
Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
Here’s the “exchange” – we give God our sin, and He gives us the
righteousness of Christ.
Illustration
Based on a book by Francine Rivers, The Last Sin Eater is set in
Appalachia in the 1800s. When Welsh immigrants settled in America, they brought
along an ancient Celtic ritual known as “the Sin Eater.” When someone within
the community died, the Sin Eater would come and absolve the deceased person by
eating a symbolic meal—often comprised of bread and wine—that was set alongside
the corpse.
Cadi Forbes (Liana Liberato) is a young girl who feels responsible for the
death of her younger sister. She longs to be forgiven, so she seeks out the Sin
Eater (Peter Wingfield). Once she finds him, she pleads with him to take her
sins, insisting that she can’t go on living with the hurt inside her. The Sin
Eater, though reluctant, ultimately agrees to do the ceremony. Cadi lies on the
ground, covered with a shroud, bread and wine on her chest. The Sin Eater asks,
“Tell me what sin it is that grieves you so.” “Did my Granny tell you her sins
before she passed?” she asked. “No,” he replied. “Then, if it’s all right with
you, I’d rather not say my sins aloud.” The Sin Eater eats the bread and drinks
the wine, saying, “I give easement now to thee, Cadi Forbes, that you might
live a long and full life, and for thy peace I pawn my own soul.” He then
hurries away and waits in the distance. Cadi opens her eyes. Disappointed, she
cries, “Nothing’s changed! I feel the same!” “I’m sorry, dear child,” says the
Sin Eater. “Please,” she begs, “you have to tell me: how do I get rid of what
I’ve done?” “I wish I knew, Cadi Forbes!” he screams. “I wish I knew!”
Later in the film, a stranger the townspeople call the man of God (Henry
Thomas) has arrived. In this second scene, Cadi meets him for the first time
down by the river. He asks her why she is so burdened and if he can possibly
help. She tells him if the Sin Eater can’t help her no one can. Cadi tells the
man of God what she has done and why she feels such guilt. He assures her that
nothing she has done could make the Lord love her any more or any less. “Cadi,”
he says as he clutches a Bible, “there are some sorrows so deep that only God
can touch them. No mere man can take away your sins, child. You see, there’s
already been a sin eater, the original sin eater that the Lord God sent a long,
long time ago. He was sent to take away all of our
sins, once and for all. And this book tells all about
him.” “Will you tell the sin eater how sorry I am?” Cadi asks. “Will you ask
him to forgive me?” “Beautiful girl, you just did. Now your heart is washed
clean of all the black marks this world or you have ever given it.” As she hugs
the man of God, she asks, “Does he have a name?” “Yes,” replies the man of God,
“his name is Jesus.”
The
Last Sin Eater
(Believe Pictures, 2007), directed by Michael Landon Jr; submitted by Van
Morris, Mount Washington, Kentucky
Reconciliation is the making of things right between two parties.
When a husband and wife have been separated, but then they work it out and
make things right, they “reconcile”.
It seems that “death” is often an important part of reconciliation. When we
are reconciled to others, there’s a sense in which we have to
learn to “die” to the offense.
Reconciliation with God is not our work, it’s God’s work.
Paul does not say that we have to make things
right with God.
God has made things right with us.
(Romans
3:24–25 NKJV) —24 being justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set
forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His
righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that
were previously committed,
God does all the work.
We only trust. We only have faith.
:10 we shall be saved
by His life
If the death of Jesus did so much for us, what do you think the life of
Jesus after death will do for us?
Jesus didn’t stay “dead”, He
rose from the dead.
He is alive.
What is He doing now since He’s
alive?
(Hebrews
7:25 NKJV) Therefore He is also able to save to the
uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make
intercession for them.
He’s praying
for us.
:11 And not only that,
but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
now received the reconciliation.
:11 we also rejoice in God … reconciliation
rejoice – kauchaomai – to
glory; same root word as used in verses 2,3.
reconciliation – katallage –
exchange; of the business of money changers (the same basic word for
“reconciliation” in verse 10.
The KJV has “atonement” here, but this word “reconciliation” is a better
word.
Paul gives a third reason to rejoice.
We rejoice in the hope of glory – our hope of heaven (Rom. 5:2)
We rejoice in our tribulations – they grow us up (Rom. 5:3)
We rejoice in God through Jesus – God has made us right with Him.
Break
Paul is now going to give us a comparison between Adam and Jesus, between
what has come upon the human race through one man’s
disobedience versus what has been given to man through one man’s obedience.
5:12-21 Adam and Christ
:12 Therefore, just as
through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
spread to all men, because all sinned—
Adam’s fall
Illustration
In autumn 2002, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, a
priceless 15th century marble statue of Adam by the Venetian
sculptor Tullio Lombardo crashed to the ground in the Velez Blanco Patio
toppled and shattered while no one was in the room. Although vandalism was
initially suspected, curators determined that the life-sized Venetian sculpture
“buckled of its own accord” said Time magazine.
“It will take a great deal of time and skill, but the piece can be
restored,” the museum’s director said.
submitted by Bill White,
Paramount, California; "Museum to mend shattered statue," BBC News
(10-10-02)
I’m curious how they’re doing putting Adam back together again after his
“fall”?
:12 through one man sin entered the world
One man’s sin – This is what Adam did in the garden of Eden when he ate the
forbidden fruit.
Paul is saying that Adam’s sin made us all sinners.
How does Adam’s sin make us sinners?
Some suggest it’s simple genetics.
This is called the “natural” headship or “seminal”
headship theory.
The problem with thinking of sin as genetic is that Paul
is going to compare Adam to Jesus. Adam’s sin affects all of us in the same way
that Jesus’ sacrifice affects all of us.
If Adam’s sin affects us because of genetics, how could
Jesus’ sin affect us since we are not biologically Jesus’ descendants?
I’ve been guilty of saying that Jesus was born without a
sin nature because He didn’t have a human father, as if the sin nature is
passed through a man’s semen. That is
part of this same problem.
It’s better to say that God made sure that the human sin
nature didn’t pass to Jesus, even from Mary herself.
Paul is saying that when Adam sinned, he sinned not just for his own sake,
but on behalf of us all.
A better way of looking at this is called the “Federal” headship theory.
There are times in which our president acts on behalf of the entire nation,
as our representative.
Theologians will explain that Adam sinned as a “federal
head”, and so because he sinned, we sinned.
We may be concerned about who we elect president in the upcoming elections.
The president acts on behalf of the United States. What the president does
affects us.
:12 death spread to all men, because all sinned
We are born with a sin nature.
It’s all Adam’s fault. It’s because
he sinned, we were born sinners.
We aren’t sinners because we sin, we are by nature sinners. When we sin, we
only prove that we are by nature sinners.
There are folks who deny that man has a sin nature.
But what results from that is the possibility that man could live a life
without sin. And then you wouldn’t need Jesus to die for your sins. This is a
pretty wicked lie from the enemy, deceiving people into thinking that they
don’t need Jesus.
Lesson
Adam’s sin affected me.
Illustration
Charles Spurgeon writes,
Sages of old contended that no sin was ever committed
whose consequences rested on the head of the sinner alone, that no man could do
ill and others not suffer. They illustrated it in this
way: “A vessel sailing from Joppa carried a passenger who, beneath his berth,
cut a hole through the ship’s side. When the men of the watch rebuked him,
‘What are you doing, you miserable man?’ the offender
calmly replied, ‘What does it matter to you? The hole I have made is under my
own berth.’”
This ancient parable is worthy of the utmost
consideration. No man perishes alone in his iniquity. No man can guess the full
consequences of his transgression.
:13 (For until the law
sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
:13 until the law sin was in the world
imputed – ellogeo – to
reckon in, set to one’s account, lay to one’s charge, impute
(Romans 5:13 NLT) Yes, people sinned even before the law was given.
But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
Just because the Law hadn’t been specifically given doesn’t mean that
people weren’t sinful.
But because there wasn’t a law given from Adam to
Moses, people weren’t as aware of the fact of their sin.
You might be driving 85 miles an hour on a country road and not be aware of the fact that you’re speeding. Just because you
don’t see a sign with the speed limit posted doesn’t mean that you’re not going
too fast. But when you see the speed limit sign, then you become aware of the
fact that you’re guilty.
:14 Nevertheless death
reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the
likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
:14 death reigned from
Adam to Moses
Even though there was no Law until Moses, people all died because of their
sin, because of their connection to Adam.
Adam had a specific transgression.
He had been commanded not to eat of the
forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.
Even though he and Eve were the only ones to break that specific
commandment, the rest of humanity has since been in sin.
reigned – basileuo – to be
king, to exercise kingly power, to reign
This is one of the words that appears several times (5x) in this passage.
Picture “death”, the “grim reaper”, as the “king” ruling the world.
Who is going to “reign” in your life?
transgression – parabasis
– a going over; metaph. a disregarding, violating; the passing beyond some assigned limit; the breaking of a distinctly
recognized commandment
Adam’s “sin” was a “transgression” in that it was an act against a specific
command. It wasn’t that Adam was in some way just a vaguely naughty boy. He
specifically broke God’s command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil.
(Gen 2:16-17 NKJV) And
the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you
may freely eat; {17} "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely
die."
(Gen 3:1-6 NKJV) Now the
serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had
made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat
of every tree of the garden'?" {2} And the woman said to the serpent,
"We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; {3} "but of the
fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall
not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" {4} Then the serpent
said to the woman, "You will not surely die. {5} "For God knows that
in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil." {6} So when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one
wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to
her husband with her, and he ate.
Death reigned over the entire human race, even though it was only Adam that
had specifically broken a command.
Even though there was no “law” until the time of Moses, people still died,
even if they weren’t guilty of Adam’s specific sin – the sin of eating from the
tree that God had forbidden.
People still died. Why? Because they were guilty because of Adam’s sin.
Adam’s sin condemned us all as sinners.
We sin because we are sinners.
:14 who is a type of Him who was to come
Him who was to come – mello –
to be about
type – tupos (“type”,
“typewriter”) – the mark of a stroke or blow, print; a figure formed by a blow
or impression; of a figure or image
Adam was an image or figure of someone who was still going to come.
There is a sense in which Adam is a picture of Jesus.
They are more different than the same though:
Adam came from the earth, but Jesus is
the Lord from heaven (1 Cor. 15:47).
Adam was tested in a Garden, surrounded
by beauty and love; Jesus was tempted in a wilderness, and He died on a cruel
cross surrounded by hatred and ugliness.
Adam was a thief and was cast out of
Paradise; but Jesus Christ turned to a thief and said, “Today shalt thou be
with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
The Old Testament is “the book of the
generations of Adam” (Gen. 5:1) and it ends with “a curse” (Mal. 4:6). The New
Testament is “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ” (Matt. 1:1) and it
ends with “no more curse” (Rev. 22:3).
Here’s the one way they’re alike:
Adam did one act that affected all of us. Jesus did one act that affected
all of us.
:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one
man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace
of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
:15 much more the grace …abounded to many
offense – paraptoma – to
fall beside or near something; a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness;
a sin, misdeed
free gift – charisma – (“charismatic”) literally, “a work of grace”; a favor
with which one receives without any merit of his own; the gift of divine grace;
the same word is used to describe “spiritual gifts”
abounded – perisseuo – to
exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and
above a certain number or measure
In other words, don’t compare the offense of Adam with the gift of Jesus
too far. The gift is far greater than the offense.
Adam had an “offense”. Jesus had “grace”.
Adam’s “offense” brought death. Jesus’ “grace” brought God’s grace and
caused it to “abound.
(Romans 5:15 NLT) But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s
gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But
even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many
through this other man, Jesus Christ.
It’s as if Adam’s sin dug a huge hole in our back yard. The grace of God is
what fills that hole. But it doesn’t just fill the hole, it overflows it.
Illustration
One night in 1935, Fiorello H. La Guardia, mayor of New York, showed up at
a night court in the poorest ward of the city. He dismissed the judge for the
evening and took over the bench. One case involved an
woman who was caught stealing bread to feed her grandchildren. La Guardia said,
“I’ve got to punish you. Ten dollars or ten days in jail.”
As he spoke, he threw $10 into his hat. He then fined everyone in the
courtroom 50 cents for living in a city “where a person has to steal bread so
that her grandchildren can eat.” The hat was passed around, and the woman left
the courtroom with her fine paid and an additional $47.50.
This is just a small picture of what God’s grace is like to us.
:16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one
who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted
in condemnation, but the free gift which came
from many offenses resulted in justification.
judgment – krima – a
decree, judgments
condemnation – katakrima –
(“against” + “judgment” = a “judgment against” a person) damnatory sentence,
condemnation
free gift – charisma – (“charismatic”) literally, “a work of grace”; same word
as used in verse 15.
justification – dikaioma (“the
work of” “rendering someone righteous”) – that which has been deemed right so as to have force of law
Adam’s sin brought judgment, it resulted in our condemnation.
The free gift of Jesus came because of our “many
offenses” – Jesus had to die for us because we deserved death and God didn’t
want us to pay for our sins.
The free gift of Jesus resulted in our
“justification”, being declared “righteous”.
(Romans 5:16 NLT) And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the
result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even
though we are guilty of many sins.
:17 For if by the one
man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those
who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign
in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
The parenthesis closes from the aside started in
vs. 13. Vss.13-17 were all an “aside”.
:17 death reigned through the one
Adam’s sin brought death to the entire human race:
The book of Genesis has several genealogical lists, the first is in Genesis
5. Watch carefully…
(Genesis 5:5 NKJV) So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years;
and he died.
(Genesis 5:8 NKJV) So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he
died.
It goes on like this through the whole chapter. They all died.
Some of you may want to point out that not everyone dies.
Enoch (Gen. 5:24) and Elijah (2Ki. 2:11) seemed to have gone straight to
heaven.
But those are the only exceptions.
Everyone else dies.
Lesson
You will die.
They say that there are two universal things – death and taxes.
No one escapes. No one can cheat it.
In Context (11/15/97), Martin
Marty tells of a financial planner who made the comment, "When clients
talk to me about their estates, they usually say, 'If I die,' not 'when I die.'
Even 80-year-olds use the conditional."
-- Leadership, Vol. 19, no. 2.
(Hebrews
9:27 NKJV) And as it is appointed for men to die once, but
after this the judgment,
You can thank Adam for that.
Illustration
A 2005 article in National Geographic identified three regions of
the world where people have consistently shown longer life spans: Okinawa,
Sardinia, and Loma Linda, California. Dan Buettner, a researcher and explorer
involved with the 2005 article, decided to do a follow-up study to determine if
there were more regions to be discovered. His team found an abnormally large
number of people living past 90—even into their 100s—on the Nicoya Peninsula in
Costa Rica.
Intrigued, Buettner and a large research team made their way to the region
to discover what factors aided in living a longer life. They found that
longevity is due in part to diet, sun exposure, and source of water, but they
also found the following factors to be crucial in the survival of the people:
The people on the Nicoya Peninsula have a strong sense of purpose. They
“feel needed and want to contribute to a greater good.”
They choose to focus on the family. Persons over 100 years of age in this
region “tend to live with their families…. Children or grandchildren provide
support and a sense of purpose and belonging.”
They have strong social networks. Their neighbors visit frequently, and
they all seem to know the value of listening, laughing, and appreciating what
they have.
They know the value of hard work. They even manage to “find joy in everyday
physical chores.”
They understand and appreciate their historical roots and spiritual
traditions. In essence, they know their story.
Ted DeHass,
Bedford, Iowa; source: Dan Buettner, "Costa Rica Secrets to a Long
Life," AARP
magazine (May/June 2008), p. 69
I think it’s good to do things to prolong your life.
But the final result is still the same. You and I
will one day be dead. If the Lord doesn’t come back in the next 150 years
(which seems highly unlikely), there will not be a single person in this class
alive.
Illustration
In the 2007 film The Bucket List, two terminally ill men—played by
Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman—take a road trip to do the things they always
said they would do before they “kicked the bucket.” In anticipation of the
film’s release, Nicholson was interviewed for an article in Parade
magazine. While reflecting on his personal life, Nicholson said:
I used to live so freely. The mantra for my generation was
“Be your own man!” I always said, “Hey, you can have whatever rules you want—I’m going to have mine. I’ll
accept the guilt. I’ll pay the check. I’ll do the time.” I chose my own way.
That was my philosophical position well into my 50s. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve
had to adjust.
Reality has a way of getting the attention of even a Jack
Nicholson. Later in the interview, Nicholson adds:
We all want to go on forever, don’t we? We fear the
unknown. Everybody goes to that wall, yet nobody knows what’s on the other
side. That’s why we fear death.
Dotson
Rader, "I want to go on forever," Parade magazine (12-9-07), pp. 6-8
Actually Mr. Nicolson, we do know what is on the
other side.
:17 (those who receive abundance of grace) …will reign in life
abundance – perisseia –
abundance, superabundantly, superfluously
will reign – basileuo – to
be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign
(Romans 5:17 NLT) For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many.
But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for
all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one
man, Jesus Christ.
We have a choice between two kingdoms:
Sin or Righteousness.
Death or life.
Adam or Christ.
Lesson
Victory starts with grace
Without Jesus Christ, you will find that sin and death rule in your life.
No matter how hard you try, you will find yourself falling into the pit.
But with Jesus, we now have the ability to “reign”
in “life”.
It’s when we receive the “abundance of grace” and the “gift of
righteousness” that we have the ability to “reign”.
How does this work?
It starts with the choice. It starts with “receiving”.
Receiving an “abundance of grace” and the “gift of righteousness”.
A starting point for this comes when we learn to confess our sin.
(1 John 1:9 NLT) But if we confess our sins to him,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
wickedness.
We find “grace”, we find “righteousness” when we admit our
sin to God.
Look at what grace and forgiveness does to a person:
(Luke 19:1-10 NKJV) Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
{2} Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector,
and he was rich. {3} And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because
of the crowd, for he was of short stature. {4} So he ran ahead and climbed up
into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. {5} And
when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him,
"Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your
house." {6} So he made haste and came down, and
received Him joyfully. {7} But when they saw it, they all complained, saying,
"He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." {8} Then
Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods
to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I
restore fourfold." {9} And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has
come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; {10} "for the Son
of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Zacchaeus found acceptance with Jesus. It changed him from
being a self-centered man to a man who made things right with people.
:18 Therefore, as through
one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation,
even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift
came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
Paul again reiterates what he’s been saying the
last couple of verses.
(Romans 5:18 NLT) Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s
one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for
everyone.
This is part of how Adam is a “type” of Christ, in that he did one act that
affected all of mankind.
:19 For as by one man’s
disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will
be made righteous.
disobedience – parakoe – a
hearing amiss; disobedience
obedience – hupakoe –
obedience, compliance, submission
In the Greek, the words are also opposites (disobedience / obedience)
were made … will be made – kathistemi
– to set, place, put; to set one over a thing (in charge of it); to appoint
one to administer an office
Through Adam’s disobedience, we were appointed to the office of “sinner”.
Through Jesus’ obedience, we will one day be appointed to the office of
“righteous”.
:20 Moreover the law
entered that the offense might abound. But where sin
abounded, grace abounded much more,
:20 where sin abounded, grace abounded much more
might abound – pleonazo –
to superabound; to increase; be augmented
The word is made from the word “more” and making “more” of “more”, or, “more2”
Back in verse 13
(Romans 5:13 NLT) Yes, people sinned even before the law was given.
But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
Again, the Law made it completely obvious just how bad people already were.
It’s kind of like a person who hasn’t had much musical training,
but somehow gets into their head the notion that they are a great musician. Then one day, they hear a real musician, and on top of that, they
have their own music recorded and compared to the real musician. Then they hear
just how bad it really sounds. It’s not that they actually
got worse as a musician, but when they were compared to a much higher
standard, they found out how bad they were.
abounded much more – huperperisseuo
– to abound beyond measure, abound exceedingly; to overflow, to enjoy
abundantly
This is taking the word “more2” and putting the word “hyper” in
front of it.
This is “hyper-superabounding”.
This is reminding us of verse 15:
(Rom 5:15 NKJV) …For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and
the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
Yet God didn’t leave us stuck in our obvious sin, He reached down His hand
to show that as bad as we are, He has grace to overflow us.
Lesson
Look at grace, not sin
We can become overwhelmed with the depth of our sin.
We ought to turn and realize that God’s grace is even greater.
Jesus was having dinner at a Pharisee’s house when an obvious sinner woman
came in, found Jesus, and began weeping at His feet and washing His feet with
her tears and anointing Him with oil.
The Pharisee could only see the horrible sinner woman and not see what
was happening.
(Luke 7:41–48 NLT)
—41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two
people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them
both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger
debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he
turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When
I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet,
but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them
with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but
from the time I first came in, she has not stopped
kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive
oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she
has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little
love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Some of us get a little mesmerized by the horrible depth of our sin. We’ll
study and examine just how deep our sin goes, and to our amazement, it’s pretty deep! And that can get depressing!
But as horribly deep as our sin gets, we need to recognize that God’s grace
is even greater.
It’s like exploring a coal mine. We might find that our sin goes three
miles down in depth. We might find that it goes five miles down. We might find
that it goes ten miles down. But as far down as it goes, God’s grace is so
incredibly great, that it’s able to fill any size hole that we can dig. And it
can always come out overflowing the hole.
:21 so that as sin
reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
:21 grace might reign through righteousness
reigned … might reign – basileuo
– to be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign
Lesson
Real grace results in righteousness
(keyword)
Paul will face accusations from some that teaching about “grace” would only
lead to more sin.
The idea is that if you talk too much about God’s love and forgiveness,
people will think, “Then why worry about sinning? Can’t I just fall back on
God’s grace?”
Paul will deal with those accusations more in the next chapter.
Here Paul is teaching that real grace leads to righteousness, not sin.
It’s Zacchaeus being forgiven and turning around to give back to those he’s
wronged.
It’s the prodigal son returning to be the Father’s
servant, not because he expected a party.
Illustration
Bill Hybels wrote,
An acquaintance of mine nearly lost his life in a flying accident a few
years ago. I had breakfast with him some time after that accident, and I asked
him how his accident and his lingering physical problems had affected him. He
said, “Bill, I see life so much more clearly now. My relationship with Jesus
Christ is now of supreme importance.” It hadn’t been before. “Now when I hold
my wife and when I kiss my children, I realize what a treasure they are.” I
remember sliding back from the table, thinking, That
loss served this brother well. It simplified and
clarified what really mattered in life.
-- Bill Hybels,
"The Often-overlooked Benefits of Losing,"
Illustration
Musician Steven Curtis Chapman writes:
In brokenness, I have felt tangible expressions of God’s grace…. I had
stacked some rocks out at this little place in the woods, a place I had gone to
pray, desperate for God to do something, to show up, or to have some sort of
breakthrough. As I was praying, I remember smelling cedar, so
strong it distracted me from my prayer. I looked around to see this little
cedar tree that had been snapped in half from my
stepping in there. . . . That was where the smell was coming from. It was a tangible sign of grace as I was
coming to understand it. I had a little note pad out there with me, and I wrote
down these words: “The fragrance of the broken.”
Steven
Curtis Chapman in CCM (July 1999)
True grace recognizes the price of brokenness. There is a
fragrance, a beauty that invades your life with true grace. You do not want to
abuse the cost of grace. You want to honor grace through obedience.
Illustration
Spurgeon writes,
My gardeners set out to remove a large tree which grew
near a wall. As it would weaken the wall to stub up the roots, it was agreed
that the stump should remain in the ground. But I wanted to make sure the stump
would not grow and disfigure the gravel walk. The gardener's prescription was
to cover it with a layer of salt. I mused awhile, and
thought that the readiest way to keep down my ever-sprouting corruptions in the
future would be to sow them well with the salt of grace. Oh Lord, help me to do
so.
-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Pericope Project
5:1-5
Trials refine faith
5:6-11
Christ loves sinners
5:12-21
Adam and Christ
All of chapter 5?
Trials, love, Adam
OR … One for all?
Homework
Reading in NASB
Memorize Romans 7:19
(Romans 7:19 NKJV) For the good that I will to do,
I do not do; but the evil I will not to do,
that I practice.
Prayer Request
Quick Quiz
Keywords
Enduring shows who you are
Real grace results in righteousness