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Paul’s letter to the Romans is probably the most influential single book of the New Testament. It has had an enormous influence in church history right up to the present day. It has also been the subject of much discussion and debate. In this study we will try to provide some guidelines and perspective on this most exciting and challenging New Testament text.
The second section of chapter 1 is Paul’s account of the fall of humanity. As Paul presents it he seems to have a broader view than just the disobedience of Adam and Eve. For him it appears the fall continues up until the time of Noah when every inclination of the human heart “was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Paul’s perspective here is cosmic because he goes from creation to the last judgment of God’s wrath. That wrath is already operative in human history. Apart from God’s truth our senseless minds have become darkened (Romans 1:21).
Paul’s second chapter in Romans addresses the issue of spiritual pride. Paul here is continuing a detailed argument, begun at Romans 1:18, which will take him all the way through chapter 11. It must be said that while the argument is detailed it is not completely structured. Paul seems to digress and even interrupt himself at points. This epistle was probably dictated by him, having the nature at times of a conversation or a lecture without notes (cf. Romans 16:22). Paul’s perspective however seems to be always on God’s final purpose. His point here is no one, certainly not the Jews, have any special claim on God. God shows “no partiality” (Romans 2:11).
If we assume, as we stated earlier, that Paul’s entire perspective in Romans is from the standpoint of God’s final judgment and victory in creation we can better understand his transition from chapter 2 to 3. Paul’s key point in chapter 2 is that God shows no partiality (Romans 2:11). Jews are not in a better position than Gentiles spiritually simply because they have the law or have been circumcised. At God’s final judgment these things will not count at all. People will be judged by their deeds, whether or not they have done “good.” The concept of doing good cannot be separated from his statement that “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). These themes will be much further developed in chapter 3 where Paul will talk about the true nature of the law and the fact that God’s kindness (or grace as he will say later) is part of God’s righteousness.
Throughout the entire section of Romans 1:18-11:36 Paul is developing one sustained argument. In the course of this argument he develops a number of critical themes, all relating to the central subject of the righteousness of God. This theme was introduced in the concluding part of the introduction (Romans 1:17). Paul’s argument takes the form of a dialogue with the reader somewhat similar to Socrates’ dialogues. Paul is not presenting a purely logical account. He is however unfolding a sequence of ideas from his perspective of God’s final plan and purpose. Up to this point he has discussed the severity of sin (Romans 1:18-32) and the role of the law as it relates to both Jew and Gentile (Romans 2). He now broadens his argument as he moves to the next stage dealing with the power of sin and the righteousness of God.
In this thrilling section Paul comes to the first of four concluding levels of discourse as he sets out his total argument (the other three will be Romans 5:12-21, Romans 8:28-39 and Romans 11:25-32. Paul here introduces his full understanding of “the righteousness of God” (first stated in Romans 1:17). This righteousness is God’s act of making humanity righteous through faith in Christ alone. “For there is no distinction” (Romans 3:22). It is not the Jewish law, nor the search for “glory, honor and immortality,” which the best of the Gentiles desired, that bring us to God. God alone has solved the human dilemma. He comes to us through Christ’s death on the cross.
In this chapter Paul draws on the example of Abraham to show that God has always justified his people by faith (Romans 3:27). Abraham trusted God, that is the essence of faith, and that was counted to him as righteousness. It was nothing Abraham did, not keeping the law or any commandments, which made him acceptable in God’s eyes. Abraham received God’s grace, his mercy and love, through a promise not through anything he had done. This was the foreshadowing of the faith that has now come into being through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Romans chapter 5 brings us to the first of several climaxes as Paul expounds his view of Christian faith for his Roman audience. His opening word, “Therefore,” introduces us to the fact that he is going both to summarize and amplify what he has said in the previous chapters. He will expound on the meaning of justification by faith, affirming both the benefits and challenges it sets before us. In the second half of the chapter he will compare and contrast Adam and Christ as representative figures of the human race. Adam brought us sin. Christ brought us grace and salvation. The effects of Christ’s work are “much more” than the effects of sin and death received through Adam. The chapter ends with a powerful and joyful statement of faith affirming the eternal life secured for us in Christ.
After Paul’s powerful summary of God’s abundant grace in chapter 5 he now addresses a familiar misunderstanding of the gospel. If salvation and life in Christ is all of grace does what we do even matter? To be strictly logical, since grace abounds where sin increases it really ought to be to our benefit to sin. Such thinking however misses the entire point. The purpose of grace is to unite us with Christ. We presently live in the tension between death and resurrection. Grace gives us the power not to sin. To ignore this is to return to the slavery of sin where death reigns (5:12-14). God’s free gift calls us to hand ourselves over to Christ so that his new life becomes our life.
Paul in this chapter adds an additional reflection to his understanding of life in God’s abundant grace (Romans 5:20). He deals here with the question of the role of the law. His likening the law to a woman bound to her husband only during the husband’s life time indicates his view that the role of the law in God’s plan of salvation is now over (Romans 10:4; Galatians 5:1-4; Ephesians 2:15; Philippians 3:7-9; Colossians 2:13-14). When we look to the law all we see is our own sin. This is not because the law is sinful. Rather we are the sinners. Whenever we try to follow the law we fail because our sinful nature is still with us (salvation for Paul is a process that extends into the future for its final fulfillment (Romans 5:9-10, 10:9, 13:11; I Corinthians 1:18, 3:15; I Timothy 4:16)). In this life our flesh remains captive to sin and resistant to God’s law (Galatians 5:17). Our sinful flesh can only become weaker. It never becomes better.
Paul now turns away from the inner conflict the Christian faces with the law, sin and death to the solid basis of the Christian life. Basically Paul here is amplifying his first major concluding statement in Romans 5:12-21. On one side of the human situation was Adam, helpless under sin, law and death. On the other side was Christ, whose death brought forgiveness and life and whose effect was “much more” than what lay under Adam’s heritage (Romans 5:15-17). Following this monumental assertion with the implication of an “eschatological universalism” (Romans 5:18-21), Paul spent the next two chapters dealing first with the continuing possibility of sin (“Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?” Romans 6:1) and second, with the law’s inability to do anything to correct the problem of sin (chapter 7). After dealing with those questions he now returns to the main subject of his argument, life in Christ. What does it mean to live in terms of the grace of Christ as opposed to living under the power of sin, death and the law in Adam? Paul begins to build toward his second conclusion.
At the end of verse 17 Paul raises the issue of suffering. In presenting the hopeful conclusion of chapter 8 (beginning with the great affirmation of “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” v. 1) he must now address the question of suffering. If we are free from condemnation and living life in the Spirit (v. 9) why do we have to face suffering? In the words of James D.G. Dunn, “The assurance that he (Paul) offers his readers here then is that the experience of human contradiction in which they share as believers is no cause for despair.” God is in charge even to the point where suffering itself has a purpose in God’s redemption not only of humanity (those “in Adam,” Romans 5:14), but of all creation. Paul reminds us that “hope that is seen is not hope” (Romans 8:24). All things are not good but God is working “all things together for good” (Romans 8:28).
Paul brings the eighth chapter of Romans to a thundering conclusion. Having addressed questions about the Christian life, the role of the law and the indwelling place of the Holy Spirit he now returns to the central theme of the righteousness of God which was introduced in Romans 3:21-26 and then elaborated upon in his Adam and Christ discussion of Romans 5:12-21. Paul now here addresses the deepest questions of the Old Testament as well as the Greek and Roman world, questions which recur to this day in all cultures, all historical periods and indeed all human experience. Paul begins his summary with the questions, “What then are we to say about these things?” (Romans 8:31). “These things” are nothing less than all he has discussed up to this point. Paul quotes from the tragic Psalm 44 to affirm his unshakeable confidence in the fact that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
In the next three chapters (Romans 9-11) Paul once again (as in Romans 7:7-25) seems to be in dialogue with himself. He begins by thinking through what he has just written regarding God’s faithfulness and the fact that nothing “in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39). Paul now reflects on the present state of Israel which, by and large, has rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul earlier had maintained that Israel’s faithlessness could not nullify God’s faithfulness (Romans 3:3-4). He now seeks to explain this by saying that, contrary to appearances, Israel’s present rejection is not a failure of God’s word to them but part of a larger plan for both Jew and Gentile.
Paul continues to struggle with the mystery of Israel’s election. He again emphasizes his desire for Israel’s salvation (Romans 9:1-3). The answer will not come until he (along with us) understands “this mystery” (Romans 11:25). In this chapter Paul reflects on the fact that Israel does indeed have “a zeal for God” (Romans 10:2) but they have missed the understanding of faith. This is also to say they have misunderstood the nature of God’s righteousness. God’s righteousness saves through faith not through deeds or religious observances. The righteousness that comes through the law is inadequate. Paul’s picture then of Israel is that, chosen by God, they have nonetheless refused to submit to God‘s righteousness, “the righteousness that comes through faith’ (Romans 10:6).
Paul in this chapter comes to the end of the longest sustained discussion of the meaning of salvation found anywhere in Scripture, a discussion which began in chapter 1, verse 18. In this chapter he comes to the final conclusion (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) of what God intends to do for sinful humanity. In the course of this his question and concern about historic Israel, “my own people,” (Romans 9:3) is finally answered. God is never to be taken lightly but God is faithful. He is neither dependent upon, nor thwarted by, the sinfulness of human beings, Jew or Gentile. God’s final purpose is mercy, mercy for all.
Paul, having completed his exposition of God’s plan and purpose of salvation, now turns to the question of Christian living. His view of Christian life is no less revolutionary than his view of God’s all-encompassing mercy in salvation. For Paul, “mercy,” not the law, is the standard for Christian life. Paul is not abandoning the law as the expression of the “will of God” (Romans 2:18). But the Christian life is not adherence to rules. It is grounded in grace and love to the extent of blessing those who persecute us. It is life in the one body of Christ, the community, in which no one is superior to anyone else.
Paul continues in this chapter with his concern of how to live the Christian life. The universal aspect of the gospel comes into play here. Christians are not a special, distinctive unit within society (as the Jews sought to maintain themselves). They are part of society. Paul does not accept a separation of the secular from the sacred. Christians certainly are to be distinctive in how they live but nonetheless they live in the present world fully, always acknowledging that the new age in Christ is starting to break through already. Again Paul’s perspective is eschatological. He is seeing and understanding the present in the light of God’s future kingdom.
“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none,
A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”
— Martin Luther “The Freedom of a Christian”
Paul in this chapter is addressing the critical issue of Christian freedom. This is a central aspect of his understanding of the gospel (Romans 8:21; Galatians 5:1; Colossians 2:20-23). It is unfortunately one of the most neglected parts of his teaching. Paul affirms that there is room for diversity in the Christian community. Those who feel obliged to keep certain customs and rituals he describes as “weak.” Yet their views are to be respected. Nonetheless Paul will not compromise his statement that things in themselves are neither good or bad. Everything depends on how it is used (Romans 14:14). This freedom obviously does not extend to actions that overtly violate God’s will according to his Word (I Corinthians 6:12-20).
Paul is coming to the conclusion of this, his most extended and influential epistle. As he has done in other epistles (especially those to the Corinthians) he gives a summary of his mission with both its hopes and dangers. Uppermost in his mind are two goals. The first is to unify the church with both Jews and Gentiles (1:16). Second is to complete his mission to the Gentile world so that God’s plan of universal salvation can be realized (Romans 11:25-32).
Paul here is giving his final thoughts and greetings to the church at Rome, the church he hopes to visit as part of his continuing missionary journey to Spain (Romans 15:22-24). We know that events did not turn out as Paul planned. The conclusion of this comprehensive statement of the gospel (unique in the New Testament) reveals both something of the composition of the early church and Paul’s fervent concerns for its effective ministry.
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