Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Romans, Part 1 - The Path To Understanding Justification




Romans – The Central Doctrinal Epistle


Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is not the first work written by him but the most important of his doctrinal letters. Just as the doctrinal Gospel of John is a handy book for heretics, so is this epistle cited but lightly studied by the furtive Pietists and closet Universalists.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one 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.
16 ου γαρ επαισχυνομαι το ευαγγελιον του χριστου δυναμις γαρ θεου εστιν εις σωτηριαν παντι τω πιστευοντι ιουδαιω τε πρωτον και ελληνι
17 δικαιοσυνη γαρ θεου εν αυτω αποκαλυπτεται εκ πιστεως εις πιστιν καθως γεγραπται ο δε δικαιος εκ πιστεως ζησεται
While District President Buchholz and WELS have declared that everyone is saved, regardless of faith, following WELS Professor JP Meyer, Paul teaches clearly that the Gospel is the efficacious power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. Everyone is modified by believers, or more accurately, Paul’s emphasizes all believers, not limiting the kind or quality or worthiness of the believers. This salvation is revealed as from faith to faith.
The first three chapters of Romans eliminate all arguments for salvation through the Law, whether it is based on the Old Testament or man’s own moral law. What follows this brilliant and clear argument is the answer already given in Romans 1:16-17.
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even 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; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom 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; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
22 δικαιοσυνη δε θεου δια πιστεως ιησου χριστου εις παντας και επι παντας τους πιστευοντας ου γαρ εστιν διαστολη
Readers should consider the precise translation of the KJV above and the unusual construction, by faith of Jesus Christ, which also appears in Galatians and Philippians. Did Jesus have faith? His human nature is often neglected when speaking of His divine nature. His human nature means He was tempted and angered, that He was hungry and thirsted. His sermons in the Gospel of John constantly refer to His glorifying the Father. To go steadfastly toward Jerusalem, toward His death, He also had faith that the terrible days ahead were for mankind and walked there in obedience to the Father’s will.
The righteousness of God comes to us only by faith of Jesus, as Paul wrote earlier, from faith to faith. Jesus as Peter was not the rock, nor was his faith the rock on which the Church would be built, so the faith communicated to us is the faith of Jesus, and not the faith of the apostles.

Some want to build a little fort on Romans 3:23-25, which reveals the lack of reading comprehension in modern seminary graduates.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom 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;
The word for redemption used here means “a release effected by payment of a ransom.” The word for propitiation means “a sin offering,” so both refer to the Atonement described in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. Neither term teaches that everyone in the world was forgiven and saved, as some claim, because the terms apply to what Jesus did. Teaching the Atonement, which was always central to the Apostles, is the Gospel, because God willed and accomplished this without man’s cooperation and before humankind could imagine what it meant. To be justified freely does not mean the entire world, regardless of faith. Certain sects connect “freely” and “by grace” to the whole world – apart from faith, and many – but not all – are Calvinists.
The sectarian approach is to isolate a verse, part of a verse, or a few verses to shape their little group, to the exclusion of the rest of the Scriptures. Although the books of the Bible were not numbered by chapter and verse until later, the sections show clear themes and transitions. Those writers were not so daft that they did not know how to do this with common Greek words bridging those sections. These three verses (23-25) are followed immediately by this great statement:
Roman 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
26 εν τη ανοχη του θεου προς ενδειξιν της δικαιοσυνης αυτου εν τω νυν καιρω εις το ειναι αυτον δικαιον και δικαιουντα τον εκ πιστεως ιησου 27 που ουν η καυχησις εξεκλεισθη δια ποιου νομου των εργων ουχι αλλα δια νομου πιστεως 28 λογιζομεθα ουν πιστει δικαιουσθαι ανθρωπον χωρις εργων νομου
λογιζομεθα ουν – Therefore we conclude…
The verb translated “conclude” in verse 28 is a pesky one for the false teachers, because it connects Romans 4 to Genesis 15:6, and transitions from this section to the central argument based on Abraham in chapter 4. Paul used the futility of works to teach Justification by Faith, which introduces Abraham as the central figure, a positive example.


Romans 4 – Abraham as the Example of Justification by Faith


Romans 4:1-3

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
τι ουν ερουμεν αβρααμ τον πατερα ημων ευρηκεναι κατα σαρκα
ει γαρ αβρααμ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη εχει καυχημα αλλ ου προς τον θεον
τι γαρ η γραφη λεγει επιστευσεν δε αβρααμ τω θεω και ελογισθη αυτω εις δικαιοσυνην
Repetition is a form of emphasis - because Paul declared Justification by Faith at the end of chapter 3. He opened chapter 4 connecting Abraham with Justification by Faith and quoting the passage from Genesis 15:6.

Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Isolating part of a verse will satisfy those who cannot see Justification by Faith in these two verses, this chapter, this Pauline book, these unified and harmonious Scriptures. “He justifies the ungodly! Romans 4:5” has been used repeatedly, as if fencing off a few words will reveal the essence of the verse.