This is part four of my series What you may not know about the book of Romans This series deals with Paul’s letter to the Romans that started here.
I believe that Paul spends most of his focus in his letter to the Romans firmly on one major problem and theme.
The Problem
The problem being the cause of the disunity between the Jewish and Gentile believers over the role of the Mosaic Law.
The Jewish believers were insisting that the Gentile believers had to adopt the Torah (the Mosaic Law) and obey it to be fully saved.
On the other hand, the Gentile believers were filled with resentment over this and looked on the Jewish believers as having weak faith.
Again the bulk of Paul’s letter is focussed on and directed to his fellowmen with the purpose of correcting their error.
The Theme
The constant theme that weaves and flows throughout the entire letter can be summed up in one single statement. Salvation is by faith and not by works. (obedience to the Mosiac Law)
In this post, we will start off looking at the overall theme and sub-themes that flow through the Letter to the Romans.
I see Paul’s main points as being.
- Gentiles do not need to adopt and obey the Mosiac law to be saved.
- Yahweh has predestined salvation to be by faith and not by works.
- Jewish believers are not superior to the Gentile believers and have no reason what so ever to boast over knowing the Law or insist that Gentiles have to obey it.
- Gentile believers are not to despise or to be arrogant and look down on their Jewish brothers and sisters as they struggle to come to grips with what Paul is correcting them over. Paul reminds them that they are grafted into the Jewish tree, they have no root (a historical relationship with Yahweh) of their own.
I will start at Romans 2 and quote a few verses from each chapter that I feel are in keeping with Paul’s constant themes.
Romans 2
The Jews thought they could sin with impunity and escape God’s judgement because they had a knowledge of the law.
The Jews boasted that they were superior to the Gentiles because they had the Law. Paul points out that Gentile believers have no need of the Mosaic Law, they have Yahweh’s Law written on their hearts and will be judged by their own conscience, whereas the Jewish believers will be judged by the Law if they trust in the Law.
- Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
- Romans 2:3But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
- Romans 2:13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
- Romans 2:14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
- Romans 2:15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
Romans 3
The same theme continues into Chapter 3.
The Jews thought they were better than the Gentiles, boasting that they had a historical relationship with Yahweh and in their knowledge of the Mosiac Law.
Paul points out that through the Law no one is justified and at best the law reveals their sin.
- Romans 3:9 9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;10as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;11THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;- Romans 3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
- 19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin
Romans 4
Abraham was justified by faith (believing Yawheh), not through obeying the Law. Gentiles have no need to adopt the law. Paul points out that they are true descendants of Abraham just as much as the Jews because Abraham had faith accredited to him before he got circumcised, so he becomes the father of the circumcised and the uncircumcised.
- Romans 4 1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.8“BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TOABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;- 10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
- 12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
- 13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
Romans 5
Paul teaches that hope comes through faith
Death reigned before the Law was given
But reconciliation with Yahweh is a free gift through the death and resurrection of Yeshua.
- 1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
- 12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
- 15But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Romans 6
Paul starts Romans 6 debating his imaginary sarcastic and foolish antagonist.
Strangely nowadays I can still hear the echoes of this foolish man in the mouths of more than a few when I say that I am not under the law but under grace. That the ten commandments which are the Mosiac Covenant have nothing to do with me.
Their words might not be exactly the same but close enough to What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?.
I think these well-meaning but ill-informed people are showing the same lack of faith in Yeshua that those Jews were showing in Paul’s day. Namely that without the ten commandments as an anchor for my obedience, I will find some excuse to do whatever my evil heart’ desires.
Apparently, these people did not get the memo that Yahweh has given me a new heart with His law written on it. His Spirit lives in me and it is Him who teaches me how to obey His law. I am free to obey, motivated out of my love for Him because I have a new heart not motivated out of some kind of points earning system.
Why do we have the ten commandments plastered all over our walls and why is the protest so loud when they are removed from public institutions when Paul worked so hard to move Christians away from them and to trust Yahweh and His Gospel?
The catchphrase of the reformers seems to me is that salvation is by faith, but you must obey Yahweh’s law, stripped down to the ten commandments, without observing the feasts and animal sacrifices. This is similar to what the Jewish Christians were also saying.
Next time I want to continue with Romans 6 and look at how the theme of salvation through faith as presented by Paul weaved through the lives of the historical figures of Jacob and Esau and to show that it is salvation through faith that has been predestined by Yahweh and not individuals.
Living the Kingdom Life 