Abraham Justified by Faith (Romans 4 :1-25) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Abraham Justified by Faith (Romans 4 :1-25) (NIV)          

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts &Gospel music

 

Scriptures reading Romans 4 1-11

 Abraham’s faith was apart from works.

 ¹What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? ²If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about--but not before God.³ What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." ⁴ Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation 

.⁵ However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.⁶ David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:⁷"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.⁸ Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." ⁹Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. ¹⁰Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.4:12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.  

After dealing in chapter 3 with the objective, positional justification accomplished by the death of Christ, Paul in this chapter shows the subjective, dispositional justification carried out by the resurrection of Christ. He uses Abraham as the example to show that adequate, living justification is God’s deeper work in calling fallen people out of everything other than God and bringing them back to Himself, so that they place their full trust in Him rather than in themselves. In Gen.15 Abraham’s being justified by God was not related to sin; rather, it was for the gaining of a seed to produce a kingdom that will inherit the world (v.13). Likewise, Romans chapter indicates that justification is not merely for man to be delivered out of God’s condemnation, but even more for God to gain many sons (8:29-30) to constitute the one Body of Christ (Ch.12) as the kingdom of God (14:17) for the fulfillment of His purpose.

The objective, positional justification covered in ch.3 is related to redemption, through which man may to reconciled to God; the subjective dispositional justification covered in ch.4  is related to life, through which men may become heirs for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. This requires that man’s flesh and his natural ability be cut off, circumcised.

4:1 Abraham is the forefather of all believers, of both the uncircumcision who have the same faith and the circumcision who walk in the steps of the same faith.

4:2 by works This refers to Abraham’s doing something for God by himself, as seen in his attempts to have God accept the fruit of his efforts (first Lot, then Eliezer, then Ishmael, who was born through Hagar) as God’s promised seed. The result of Abraham’s being justified, however, was that he eventually stopped his own work for God. This was signified by circumcision (v.11), which is the cutting off of the flesh. Hence, circumcision became God’s constant reminder to Abraham to stop his own doing and live by faith in God. Justification has nothing to do with the works and accomplishments of the flesh.

4:3 Believing God was Abraham’s spontaneous reaction to God’s repeated appearing to him. God appeared to Abraham a number of times (Gen.12:1-3,7;13:14-17;17:1-7; ch.18; Acts 7:2), each time transfusing something of His glory, something of Himself, into Abraham. Hence, Abraham’s believing was actually the springing up within him of the very element that God had transfused into him. God’s reaction to Abraham’s believing was to justify him, that is, to account him righteous. This accounting was not out of works but was based on his believing God.

4:4 “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation or “now to the one who works, his wages are not accounted according to grace, but according to what is due.”  The natural man always works for God in order to receive compensation (wages). With the natural man there is no grace, faith, or enjoyment (Exo.12:45) God’s justification is not a reward (wages) for our good works (labor); it is grace freely given to us through Christ’s redemption. If God’s justification were based on our good works, or if it required our good works, then, it would be the wages we earn for our good works; that is, it would be something owed to us, not something freely given by God. Since God’s justification is reckoned according to His grace, it is no longer out of works; otherwise, grace is no longer grace (11:6). Our works can by no means replace God’s grace; God’s grace must be absolute.

4:11 Circumcision was not the reason that Abraham was justified; rather, it was the outward sign and confirmation that God had already justified him. It denoted the cutting off of the natural strength by which he had produced Ishmael in his effort to please God. Abraham was already justified before he was circumcised, and God had already confirmed His covenant with him in Gen.15. Circumcision was to confirm the covenant from Abraham’s side, to serve as a constant reminder to him that he should no longer use his natural strength and energy to please God.

4:12 Walk in the footsteps of the faith. The Greek word means to walk in a regulated, definite way (Gal.5; Phil.3:16). Here it refers to walking in the steps by observing the elements of the faith. If one walks in the steps of Abraham’s faith, Abraham becomes the father of circumcision to him, and this one enters into a life in which he does not trust in himself but in God, with the result that he is justified subjectively and thus becomes His genuine heir.  

Bibliography,

            Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

            Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

            Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.

 

The condemnation of all men needs Mercy Seat -Christ as the propitiation place (Romans 3:21-31)By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The condemnation of all men needs Mercy Seat -Christ as the propitiation place (Romans 3:21-31)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

 

Righteousness imputed, Justification, Salvation 3:21-5:21

The description of Righteousness 3:21-31

         ²¹But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; ²²Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ²⁶To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ²⁷Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. ²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. ²⁹Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: ³⁰Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. ³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. 

 

3:21 apart from the law - God’s righteousness, which is revealed in the gospel (1:17), is the basis and foundation of His dispensing Himself into man in His New Testament economy. This righteousness has nothing to do with the law in His Old Testament economy (Phil.3:9).

Righteousness used in various ways in the Bible, righteousness refers: 1) to God’s character (John17:25);2) to the gift that is given to everyone who receives Christ (3:21;5:17) and 3) to standards of right living (6:18;2Tim.2:22)

Manifested  The Jews sought the righteousness of God by keeping the law. However, they did not attain to it, for out of the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before God (v.20).But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been manifested to us through faith in Christ (1:17).

3:22 through the faith of Jesus Christ or, faith in Jesus Christ. This faith refers to the faith of Jesus Christ in us, which has become the faith by which we believe in Him, as in v.26; Gal.2:16,20; 3:22; Eph.3:12; and Phil.3:9.  Faith has an object, and it issues from its object. This object is Jesus, who is God incarnate. When man hears Him, knows Him, appreciates Him, and treasures Him, He causes faith to be generated in man, enabling man to believe in Him. Thus, He becomes the faith in man by which man believes in Him. Hence, this faith becomes the faith in Him, and it is also the faith that belongs to Him.

In God’s New Testament economy, God desires that man believe in Jesus, who is God incarnate. If man does not believe in Him, he commits the unique sin before God (John16:9). However, if man believes in Him, he is righteous to the uttermost before God, and God reckons this faith as his righteousness. At the same time, this faith brings its object, that is, this One who is God incarnate, into those who believe in Him. He is God’s righteousness, and God has given Him as righteousness to those who are indwelt by Him (Jer.23:6). All this is out of, and depends on, the faith that is in Him and of Him (Heb.12:2).

3:23 glory of God  God’s glory is God expressed. Whenever God is expressed, His glory is seen. Man was made by God in His image that man might express Him for His glory. But man has sinned and has contradicted the holiness and righteousness of God. Instead of expressing God, man expresses sin and his sinful self. Hence, man falls short of God’s glory and expression is sin. Sinners are not only under the requirements of God’s holiness and righteousness but also under the demand of God’s glory. All have offended God’s holy being and have broken God’s righteous law, and all are short of God’s glory. Therefore, all are under God’s condemnation.

3:24 justified freely Justification is God’s action whereby He approves people according to His standard of righteousness. God can do this on the basis of the redemption of Christ. Freely Since Christ has paid the price for our sins and in His redemption has fulfilled all God’s requirements on us, God, because He is just, must justify us freely. Such justification is by the grace of God, not by our works. Redemption To redeem is to purchase back at a cost. We originally belonged to God but became lost through sin. The requirements of God’s holiness, righteousness, and glory were so great upon us that it was impossible for us to fulfill them. However, God paid the price for us through Christ, repossessing us at a tremendous cost. Christ died on the cross to redeem us (Gal.3:13; Titus2:14;1Pet.2:24; 3:18); His blood obtained eternal redemption for us. (1Pet.1:18-19).

Verse 25 set forth to be a propitiation  - In the Old Testament , the expiation cover, the lid of the Ark, as a type, was hidden in the Holy of Holies; in the New Testament, Christ as the propitiation place, the reality of the expatiation place, the  reality of the expiation cover, is open set for the before all men.

The propitiation place is typified in Exo.25:17 by the sin-covering lid on the Ark. The Ark was the place where God met with people. In The Ark was the law of the Ten Commandments, which by its holy and righteous requirement exposed and condemned the sins of the people who came to contact God. However, by the lid of the Ark, with the expiating blood sprinkled on it on the Day of Expiation, the entire situation on the sinner’s side was fully covered.

Therefore, upon this sin-covering lid God could meet with the people who broke His righteous law, and He could do this without, governmentally any contradiction to His righteousness, even under the observing of the cherubim that bore His glory and overshadowed the lid of the Ark. Thus, the problem between man dn God was appeased, enabling God to forgive and be merciful to man and thereby to give His grace to man. This is a prefigure of Christ as the Lamb of God taking away the sin that caused man to have a problem with God (John1:29), thus satisfying all the requirements of God’s holiness, righteousness, and glory and appeasing  the relationship between man and God. Hence, God could pass over the people’s sin that had previously occurred. And, in order to show forth His righteousness, He had to do this. This is what this verse refers to.

The Hebrew word for the lid of the Ark is kapporeth, from a root meaning to cover. In the Septuagint this word is translated hilasterion, which means the place of propitiation (implying to forgive and to give mercy –the word rendered propitious in Heb.8:12 is the root of hilasterion, and the word rendered propitiated in Luke 18:12 is the derived from this root0.  The King James Version adopts the rendering “Mercy seat,” referring to the place where God grants mercy to man. In Heb.9:5 Paul also used hilasterion for the lid of the Ark. Here, in Rom.3:25, the same word, hilasterion, is used to show that the lid of the Arks signifies Christ as the propitiation place set forth by God.

In Addition to hilasterion, two other words derived from the same Greek word as hilasterion are used in the New Testament to show how Christ took away man’s sin to appease the relationship between man and God. One is hilaskomai (Heb.2:17), which means to propitiate, that is, to appease, to reconcile one by satisfying the other’s demand; the other is hilasmos (1John2:2;4:10), which means that which propitiates, that is, a propitiatory sacrifice. Christ made propitiation for out sins (Heb.2:17); hence, He has become that which propitiates, the propitiatory sacrifice, between us and God (1John2:2;4:10), and He ahs also become the place as typified by the lid of the Ark (Heb.9:5), where we enjoy propitiation before God and where God gives grace to us.

During the Old Testament time, the sins of the people were not taken away but were only covered with the blood of the animal sacrifices, which were types of Christ. God passed over these covered sins until Christ came. He was the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). By His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood for redemption, He carried away all the sins that had been previously covered and passed over. In passing over their sins, God demonstrated His righteousness to the Old Testament saints.

Verse 26 God’s justifying the believers is with a view to the demonstrating of His righteousness to those in the New Testament time who are of the faith of Jesus.

Verse 30 Faith is the source out of which the circumcision, who already have the position as God’s people, may be justified by God; hence, their justification is out of faith. But as to the uncircumcision, who are positionally far away and are not God’s people; faith is the way for them to reach the position where they can be justified by God; hence, their justification is through faith.

Bibliography,

 

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

            Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

            Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

  

The function of the law is to give knowledge of sin not to save from sin (Romans 3:1-20 KJV) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The function of the law is to give knowledge of sin not to save from sin (Romans 3:1-20 KJV)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce  

Christian Arts Ministries:Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

Scriptures reading Romans 3:1-20 kjv

                 ¹What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? ²Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. ³For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? ⁴God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. ⁵ But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) ⁶God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?⁷For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? ⁸And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.  ⁹What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; ¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known:¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes.¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

 

 

3:1 What advantage. A Jew had the advantage of special revelation of God’s law. Yet that could not save him, for he was not able to keep it. The law increased his responsibility, but demonstrated his inability to live up to God’s tandards.

3: 2 the very word of God. The promises of God to the Jews, found in the Scriptures.

3:4 every man a liar. Men should believe that they all have broken their word rather than that God has broken His. Declared righteous God must first convince us of His righteousness before we can repent and believe into Him. Thus, He is decalred righteous by us before we are declared righteous by Him..

3:7 truthfulness of God in Greek the same word as for truth (reality). The word here and in 15:8 denotes genuineness, sincerity, honesty, faithfulness, and trustworthiness as one of God’s virtues.

3:8 judgment –the eternal judgment.  

3:9 Are we any better? Possibly this should be translated, “Are we Jews disadvantaged?” i.e., in a worse position than Gentiles.

3:10-18 In these verses Paul quotes and paraphrases a number of O.T. passages, Pss.5:9; 10:7;14:1-3;36:1;140:3; Isa.59:7-8. His indictment of the Jews has the authority of Scripture behind it.

3:19 that every mouth- God’s purpose in giving the law was to expose man, to subdue man, and to guard or keep God’s chosen ones for Christ that they may be led to Christ (Gal.3:23-24).

3:20 The function of the law, Paul says, is to give knowledge of or about sin, not to save from sin (Acts13:39;1Tim.1:9-10).

Bibliography,

           Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

            Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

           Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter (Romans 3:17-29)By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter (Romans 3:17-29)  

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music                      6/10/2026

 

Scriptures reading Romans 3:17-29

 The condemnation of the Jew

 ¹²For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:¹⁵ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) ¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (v.16)

¹⁷Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, ¹⁸And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; ¹⁹And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, ²⁰An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. ²¹Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?  ²²Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? ²³Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? ²⁴For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. ²⁵For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

²⁶Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? ²⁷And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? ²⁸For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ²⁹But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

 

Verse 14 The nature of man, as created by God, was originally good and corresponded with God and with His law. Although it was poisoned by the fall, this good nature remains within man. Hence, if anyone lives according to his nature and does by his nature the things of the law, the evil in him will be restricted. Do by nature The interaction of conscience and innate morality may result in a good life. To such persons God sends the gospel (Acts 4:12;Rom.10:4).

Verse 15 Man’s conscience corresponds with the God- created human nature and enables man to know what God justifies and what He condemns.

Verse 17 You call yourself a Jew. The failure of the Jew makes him blamable because of privileges he had in the law and the promises of God. He could and should have become a guide and light to those in darkness(v.19). In this section, which specifically deals with God’s condemnation on the religious, Paul first points out the pitful condition of the Jews, who represent the religious people. They have one the vanity of their religious riturals, letters, and knowledge; they do not have God as their reality. In the Jewish religion God is known only outwardly and objectively, not inwardly and subjectively.This shows the vanity of humanre ligion.

Verse 21 That the religious people practice the same evils as the unreligious exposes the vanity of their religion.

Verse 25 you have become as though you had not been circumcised. I.e., a Jewish lawbreaker stands before God in the same place as a pagan.Paul emphasizes that the Jewish law was impossible to keep perfectly. 

Verse 28 Lit., For the Jew in what is manifest is not a Jew; neither is the circumcision in what is manifest in the flesh circumcision. Outwardly any religious practice, such as circumcision, that is merely an outward form is not real.

Verse 29 But he is a Jew Lit., But the Jew in what is hidden is a Jew. In spirit Whatever we are, whatever we do, an dwhatever we have must be in spirit. This will keep us from the vanity of religion. The reality of all spiritual things depends on the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God is in our Spirit. Hence, the reality of all spiritual matters depends on our spirit, not on anything apart from our spirit. Whatever is in us is vanity unless it is in our spirit. Everything that God is to us is in our spirit. circumcision is circumcision of the heart. Circumcision is used in three senses in this passage: 1) it stands for the Jews (note that not circumcised in v.27 means Gentiles; (Gen.17:10);2) it indicates the physical rite commanded in the law (v.25a  and Lev.12:3);3) it represents a life that is separated from the flesh and unto God (v.17 and Deut.10:16). In Acts 16:3 The Jerusalem council had declared that circumcision was not necessary for salvation or for acceptance into the Christian church (Acts 15:19), but because of Timothy’s part-Jewish background it seemed expedient in his case, in order to enlarge his local usefulness in witnessing. In the case of Gentile Titus, Paul insisted that he not be circumcised (Gal.2:3).

Paul stood up for the absolute truth that it was the faith of Abrabam, not circumcision, that caused God to establish His covenant with him and his seed. The covenant was given to Abraham some 13 years before circumcision. Through Isaac, Abraham’s son, circumcision became the sign or the seal of the covenant and it was carried over by Moses into the Law. Later, the children of Israel took circumcision and made it somethings it was not. Instaed of taking it as the sign going back to the faith of Abraham, which brought him into covenant with God; they made it a means in itself, an outward act that bound them together as a race. They were taken into captivity not because they stopped the rite of circumcision, but because they got out of faith and obedience to God and broke His Covenant with them.

The great prophets, like Ezekiel, began to prophesy of a new kind of circumcision, a New Covenant which would crate in them a “new heart” (Ezekiel 36:26). Not the circumcision of the flesh but of the heart. God would replace physical circumcision with a New Heart. The old heart of outward circumcision could not save God’s people, only a new heart would save them. Not a transplant, but a totally new heart created by Jesus as He cut the New Covenant by His shed blood on the cross. We can say, “Thank you, God, for taking away my old heart of sin and making me a new creature in Jesus Christ” (2Corinthians5:17). Paul says he is not a Jew who is one outwardly through circumcision, but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, which is a new heart; in the spirit and not in the letter of the Law, whose praise is not of men but of God. Christ who now lives in us has brought us into a personal relationship with God. To have the new heart brought by faith through the New Covenant is the greatest thing in the world.

 

Bibliography,

 

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

 

            King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

                       

            Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

          

            Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.  

The Condemnation of the Moralist (Romans 2:1-11) (KJV) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The Condemnation of the Moralist (Romans 2:1-11) (KJV)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts &Gospel Music

Scriptures reading Romans 2:1-11 (KJV)

 ¹Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.²But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.³And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? ⁵But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; ⁶Who will render to every man according to his deeds: ⁷To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life;  ⁸But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath.

⁹Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;¹⁰But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: ¹¹For there is no respect of persons with God.

 

Romans chapter 2 Paul shows subtly (vv.1-16), then openly, that the Jews are without defense. God’s wrath results when grace is rejected. Good works do not save (Eph.2:8-9) but are evidence of a changed life. Much of Romans is devoted to this extremely important thesis. The Jews’ Priority of privilege was also one of responsibility, and the principles of God’s judgments are the same for all (v.11). do by nature (v.14). The interaction of conscience and innate morality may result in a good life. To such persons God sends the gospel (Acts4:12; Rom.10:4).

Verse 2 judgement –referring to God’s eternal judgment, which will be carried out mainly at the great white throne, as revealed in Rev.20:11-5. Truth here and in vv.8,20 denotes the reality revealed through the creation and through the Bible concerning God, the universe, man, the relationship between man and God, the relationships among men, and man’s obligation to God. It also refers to the actual situation and condition of man, and it may be the terms of God’s judgment upon man, as indicated in vv.6-15. According to these terms God will execute His judgment righteously.  Verses 7-10 give the basic terms of God’s eternal judgment.

 The Old Covenant, through the Law of Moses, showed the terrible swift justice of God, a God who had to deal with men as they were…to teach them respect for order, for righteousness, for the Living God, to gradually lead them to see His goodness so they could love Him. Paul, by family and education, grew up by the teaching of the prophets, who called God’s wrath down just as quickly as they brought miracles to save His people. As a product of that teaching, as Saul of Tarsus, Paul had leaned the wrong view of God’s justice and even pursued the Christians to far cities to imprison or kill them. Here, under the New Covenant, he discovers God’s continuing revelation of himself, a revelation that again meets men where they are –this time ready to see the goodness of God. “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” was his message. Paul remembered that Jesus could have applied justice instead of mercy that day on the road to Damascus, and Paul would have been found wanting. Instead, Jesus showed him His goodness, His saving and healing power, His desire to fill him with the Holy Spirit, and with love until Paul was the first to preach that it is God’s goodness, not His judgments, that softens men’s heard hearts and lead them to repent and be saved.

 

Bibliography,

 

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

 

            King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

                       

            Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

          

            Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.