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. 

The consequences of the condemnation - divine abandonment (Romans1:24-32) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 The consequences of the condemnation - divine abandonment (Romans1:24-32)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

 

 The consequences of the condemnation-- God's divine abandonment 

Scriptures reading Romans 1:24-32 (KJV)

 

²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: ²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

             ²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; ²⁹Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ³⁰backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 

Verse 24  Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their heart. the same expression is used also in vv.26 and 28. Because of this, God gave them up over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. The result of man’s giving up God is man’s being given up by Him. Those who give up God force God to give them up. According to this chapter God gives people up to three things :1) uncleanness (v.24), 2) passions of dishonor (v.26), and a disapproved mind (v.28). The consequence of such a giving up is fornication (vv.24,26-27), which violates a governing and controlling principle and brings in confusion. Every kind of evil issues from this fornication (vv.29-32). Note the repetition of this phrase in vv.26 and 28 Paul is attacking the frank idolatry of most of the Gentile world, in which animals were considered gods (v.23), sexual perversion was prevalent (vv.26-27), and sin in general was rampant (vv.29-32)

Verse 25 The truth of God is the reality of God. God is true and real. What He is, is a reality. But the idols are false. Whatever they are is a lie.

Verse 32 Also approve of those who practice them. Not only did the people themselves sin but they encouraged and vicariously enjoyed the sins of others. Verse 32 Righteous or righteous requirement, as in 8:4 " That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit; that is, the requirement of God’s righteous will. Hence, this phrase also refers to the judgment that is out of God’s will (Rev.15:4), or to statutes with judgments, that is, ordinance (2:26; Luke 1:6) or to the righteous acts that meets God’s requirement (5:18).

 

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 cause of the condemnation- willful ignorance (Romans 1:18-32) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 The cause of the condemnation- willful ignorance (Romans 1:18-32)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce 

Christian Arts Ministries:Biblical precepts & Gospel music

 

Scriptrues reading Romans 1:18-32

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; ²⁰ for God hath shewed it unto them.For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

 

 From Romans 1:18 to 3:20 is God’s indictment of the world, showing why man needs the righteousness of God. Man is condemned because truth was given to him (vv.19-20) and because he by his actions rejected it (vv.21-32). The things that are made (creation) reveal to all men the eternal power and divine nature of the true God, so that the rejection of this truth make a man without excuse before God.

 The book of Romans begins with man’s fall (in contrast to Ephesians, which begins with God’s selection and predestination in eternity past); continues through Christ’s redemption God’s justification, sanctification, transformation, conformation, and glorification; and finally, touches the mystery of God in eternity past (16:35).

Verse 18 The wrath of God is revealed – in the preceding verse the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel to faith; here, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrigheousness of men. This show a contrast between the revelation of God’s righteousness and the revelation of God’s wrath. Originally, the wrath of God was revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. However, since the gospel of God has come, the scene has changed. Now the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel to our faith.

Unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth, to hold down means to suppress. From the beginning mankind did not respect the truth of God but suppressed it unrighteously. The truth here refers to the first true thing, the first reality, concerning man and God in the universe. This reality is the sure fact that God and His existence are proved by the creation. This great reality, and great truth, should cause men to know God and thereby to glorify Him and thank Him (v.21).

However, instead of dealing properly with this reality, this truth, according to righteousness, in which God delights, men held down the truth in unrighteousness, which God hates, and did not approve of knowing God (v.28). Therefore, they despised and rejected God, changing the glory of God into idols(vv.21-23) and casting off self-restraint to fall they were given up, abandoned by God(vv.24,26,28).

            Verse 20 divine  Greek. Theiotes. Indicating God’s attributes, which are the special features, the characteristics, as the outward manifestations of God’s natures, or substance. It is different from theotes in Col.2:9 which denotes God’s Godhead and person. The characteristics of God’s nature can be verified through the created things; however, the created things cannot manifest God’s Godhead and person. Only the living person of Jesus Christ, the Word who is God and who declares God (John1:1,18), can express God’s Godhead and person, that is, the very God, God Himself. Here in this chapter, the apostle Paul speaks of the created things verifying God’s existence, but what is verified are only the attributes and characteristics of God. In Col.2:9 he speaks of Christ as the embodiment of God, and what is expressed is the Godhead and God’s person, that is, God Himself.

Being perceived - Man can perceive the invisible things of God by observing the visible things created by Him. Both the eternal power of God and the divine characteristics that express God’s creation. For example, the abundance of light in the universe shows that light is a divine characteristic, a divine attribute of the divine nature (James 1:17). The same is true of beauty and life.

Verse 21 The book of Romans chapter 1 Paul’s presentation of God’s creation  and man’s step-by step fall in undoubtedly based on the historical facts as recorded in Gen.1-19 and in subsequent books of the Old Testament. First, vv.19-20 speak concerning God’s creation; then vv.21-25 cover the fall of Adam and progress through the age of the flood to the worshipping of idols at Babel. Verses 26-27 progress further, from Babel to the shameful lust of Sodom, and vv.28-32 go on from Sodom to every kind of wickedness in the Old Testament time.Vain reasonings are the basic element in the daily life of fallen mankind. They change the glory of God into anything else is to forsake Him and to make an idol.

 

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 righteous will live by his faith by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

The righteous will live by his faith

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce 

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

 Scriptures reading Romans 1:8-17

 The Power of God’s salvation

         ⁸First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; ¹⁰Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.¹¹For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; ¹²That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.  ¹³Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.¹⁴I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. ¹⁵So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. ¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

  

Verse 7 saints – The word means holy ones or set apart ones. The N.T. designates all believers as saints because they are by position holy and set apart to God (Phil.4:21; Col.1:2)

Verse 9 serve in my spirit– the Greek word means serve in worship; it is used in Matt.4:10; 2Tim.1:3; Phil.3:3 and Luke 2:37. Paul considered his preaching of the gospel a worship and service to God, not merely a work. in my spirit Not the Spirit of God but Paul’s regenerated spirit. The Spirit is different from the heart, soul, mind, emotion, will, or natural life. Christ and the Spirit are with the believers in their regenerated human spirit (2Tim.4:22; Rom. 8:16). In the book of Romans Paul stressed that whatever we are (2:29; 8:5-6,9), whatever we have (8:10,16), and whatever we do toward God (v.9;7:6;8:4,13,12:11) must be in this spirit. Paul served God in his regenerated spirit by the indwelling Christ, the life-giving Spirit, not in his soul by the power and ability of the soul. This is the first important item in his preaching of the gospel.

     Verse 16 the Power of God -denoting a powerful force that in break through any obstacle. This power is the resurrected Christ Himself, who is the life-giving Spirit, and it is unto salvation to everyone who believes. Salvation-- to save the believing ones not only from God’s condemnation and from eternal perdition but also from their natural life and their self, that they may be sanctified, transformed, and built up with others as the one Body of Christ to be His fullness and expression (Eph.1:23). Salvation has three facets: past salvation from the penalties of sin (Luke7:50); present salvation from the power of sin in the daily life (Rom.5:10); and future salvation from the actual presence of sin (in heaven) (1Cor.3:15; 5:5). This salvation comes to everyone who believes. We receive and experience it through faith, which is both assent to the truths of the gospel and genuine confidence in the Savior Himself.

            Verse 17 righteousness of God. In John 3:16 God’s love is the source and motive of God’s salvation. In Eph2:5, 8 God’s grace is the means of God’s salvation. In Romans 1:17 God’s righteousness is the power of God’s salvation. God’s righteousness, which is solid and steadfast, is the foundation of His throne (Psa.89:14) and the base on which His kingdom is built (Rom.14:17). Legally, both love and grace can fluctuate, but righteousness cannot. It is even more so with God’s righteousness. It is God’s righteousness, not ours, that is revealed in the gospel of God. Hence, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.

         Out of faith -- the righteousness of God justifies us that we may have God’s life (5:18) and live by it. In this way this life will sanctify and transform us thoroughly. This book covers mainly our being justified (1:1-5:11;9:1-11:36), our having life (5:12-8:39), and our living properly by this life (12:1-16:27).Since this verse also stresses these three points, it may be considered an abstract of the entire book.

A righteousness from God. I.e., the restoration of right relations between man and God, which proceeds from God’s gift through His Son. It is by faith from first to last. Faith from start to finish. The righteous will live by faith. Quoting Hab.2:4 Paul is emphasizing that one can be righteous in God’s sight only through faith; he who is just through faith shall live now and forever by faith. (Gal.3:11, Heb.10:38.). the righteous shall live (enjoy deliverance and abundance of life) by his faith, or better, faithfulness; i.e.., moral steadfastness. A person who has faith is a person who trusts and who can be trusted.  In vv.16-17 is the essence of Paul’s theology: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will 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. 

 

The Epistle of Paul to the Romans Chapter 1:1-7 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 The Epistle of Paul to the Romans Chapter 1:1-7

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian Arts Ministries:Biblical precepts & Gospel music

 

The Gospel of God to make sinners sons of God in order to constitute the Body of Christ which is expressed as the local church

Scriptures reading Romans Chapter 1: 1-6 (KJV)

¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, ²(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) ³Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; ⁴And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:⁵By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: ⁶Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:⁷To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

 The book of Romans explains how the individual  Christ revealed in the four Gospels could become the corporate Christ revealed in Acts, collectively composed of Himself with all the believers. By means of the facts in the Scriptures and the experience in the Holy Spirit, Paul shows us that God’s New Testament economy is to make sinner sons of God and members of Christ to constitute the Body of Christ to express Him. The book of Romans offers a full definition of this, God’s goal, unfolding a general sketch and details of both the Chrsitian life and the church life.

The Book of Romans may be divided into eight sections: introduction, condemnation, justification, sanctification, glorification, selection, transformation, and conclusion. In these eighte sections three major structures can be seen: Salvation (1:1-5:11;9:1-11:36), life (5:12-8:39), and building (12:1-16:27).

Verse 1 Paul, formerly Saul, who persecuted the believers and devastated the church (Acts7:58-8:1a;8:3;9:1. After he was saved, when he went forth to preach the gospel, his name was changed to Paul(Acts 13.9).  A salve, according to ancient custom and law, was one who was purchased by his master and over whom his master had absolute rights, even to the extent of terminating his life. Paul was such a slave of Christ. A salve, verbs formed from this word are used several times throughout this book. One is translated serve as a slave in 6:6 and serve in 7:6,25;9:12; 12:11’14:18; and 16:18. Another is translated enslaved in 6:18,22 the noun slavery, from the same roots as slave, is used in 8:15,21. Paul’s use not a self-appointed apostle or one hired by the Lord; rather, he was one purchased to serve God and minister to His people, not in the natural life but in the regenerated life.

Christ, equal to Messiah in Hebrew, means the anointed One (John 1:41; Dan.9:26).

Jesus, equal to Joshua in Hebrew, means the salvation of Jehovah, or Jehovah the Savior (Matt.1:21; Num.13:16;Heb.4:8). 

            Gospel Lit., glad tidings, good news (vv.9,16;2:16;10:16;11:28;15:16,19;16:25). The gospel of God, as the subject of the book of Romans, concerns Christ as the Spirit living within the believers after His resurrection. This is higher and more subjective thatn what was presented in the Gospels, which concern Christ only in the flesh as He lived among His disciples after His incarnation but before His death and resurrection. The book of Romans, reveals that Christ has resurrected and has become the Life-Giving Spirit (8:9-10). He is no longer merely the Christ outside the believers, but He is now the Christ within them. Hence, the gospel in the book of Romans is the gospel of the One who is now indwelling His believers as their subjective Savior.

            Verse 2 The gospel of God was not something added along the way by accident; it was planned and prepared by God in eternity past and promised by God through  His prophets in many ways. (Gen.3:15;22:18;Gal.3:16;2Tim.1:9;Titus1:2).

the holy scriptures The Greek words hagios, hagiosune, hagiazo, and hagiasmos, used in this book are of the same root, which fundamentally means seprated, set apart, Hagios is translated holy in v.2; 2:5;7:12;9:1;11:16;12:1;14:17;15:13,16;16:16, and saints in v.7; 8:27;12:13;15:25, 26,31;16:15.  Hagiosune is translated holiness in v.4. Hagiasmos is translated sanctification in 6:19,22. Hence, to be holy is to be separated, set apart (to God). The saints are the separated ones, the ones set apart (to God). Holiness is the nature and quality of being holy. Sanctification (to God) is the practical effect, the character in activity, and the consummate state produced by being sanctified.

Verse 3 the gospel of God concerns the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord . This wonderful person has two natures –the divine nature (v.4) and the human nature (v.3), divinity and humanity. The Seed of David implies Christ’s human nature. By incarnation, the first step of Christ’s process, God was brought into humanity. In the Bible flesh is not a positive word. Nevertheless, the Bible declares that the Word became flesh (John1:14). The gospel of God concerns God who became the seed of a man.

Verse 4 Before His incarnation Christ the divine One, already was the Son of God (John1:18; Rom.8:3). By incarnation He put on an element, the human flesh, which had nothing to do with divinity; that part of Him needed to be sanctified and uplifted by passing through death and resurrection. By resurrection His human nature was sanctified, uplifted, and transformed. Hence, by resurrection He was designated the Son of God with His humanity (Acts 13:33; Heb.1:5). His resurrection was His designation. Now, as the Son of God. He possesses humanity as well as divinity. By incarnation He brought God into man; by resurrection He brought man into God, that is, He brought His humanity into the divine sonship. In this way the only begotten Son of God was made the firstborn Son of God, possessing both divinity and humanity. God is using such a Christ, the firstborn Son, who possesses both divinity and humanity, as the producer and as the prototype, the model, to produce His many sons (8:29-30). We who have believed in and received His Son. We too will be designated and revealed as the sons of God, as He was in the glory of His resurrection (8:19,21), and with Him we will express God.

The book of Romans tells us that God’s full salvation is to make sinners (3:23), even His enemies (5:10), the sons of God (8:14). Through resurrection God designated Christ, who became flesh to be the seed of David, as His Son, that His Son, who is the mingling of divinity and humanity, might be the base and pattern for His making sinners His many sons. It is in the resurrection of His Son, i.e., in the resurrected Son, that God is producing many sons (1Pet.1:3) as the many brothers of the Firstborn (8:29), who was resurrected from the dead, and as the members of His Firstborn to constitute the Body of His Firstborn (12:5), which is His fullness (Eph.1:23), His corporate expresson.

The Spirit of holiness here is in contrast to the flesh in v.3. As the flesh in v.3 refers to the human nature of Christ in the flesh, so the Spirit in this verse does not refer to the person of the Holy Spirit of God but to the divine essence of Christ. This divine essence of Christ, being God the Spirit Himself (John4:24), the divinity of Christ, is of holiness , full of the nature and quality of being holy.

Verse 5 Grace is God is Christ as life and the life suppy. It affords the apostles salvation and life and becomes the capacity and supply for their apostleship (1 Cor.15:9-10). God’s unique commandment in this age, the age of grace, is that man should believe into His Son, the Lord Jesus. Whoever believes into Him will be saved; whoever does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed into Him (John3:18). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of the sin of not believing into the Lord (John16:8-9), of not obeying God’s unique commandment. When we believe into the Lord, we have the obedience of faith, and the result is grace and peace. (v.7)

In the New Testament the complete gospel according to God’s New Testament revelation is the content of the faith, with the two natures of Christ, who is both God and man, and the redemptive work accomplished through His death and resurrection as its center(1Tim.1). To obey this faith is to turn from all pagan religions and philosophies unto this faith, believing and receiving it.

Verse 6 God calls us for the purpose of bringing us into Christ that we may belong to Him. All the fullness of God is in Christ (Col.2:9;1:19). When we are brought into Him and belong to Him, we partake of all the fullness of God. Of His fullness we have received all that is of God, even grace upon grace (John1:16). This matter is covered in detail in the first eight chapters of the book of Romans. (8:9).

Verse 7 Grace is God in Christ as our enjoyment (John1:14,16-17 and Rom.5 17); it is the source. Peace is the result of our enjoyment of God in Christ (John16:33).

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.