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.
4 τι ουν
ερουμεν αβρααμ τον πατερα ημων ευρηκεναι κατα σαρκα
2 ει γαρ
αβρααμ εξ εργων εδικαιωθη εχει καυχημα αλλ ου προς τον θεον
3 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.
