Bulletin Articles
The Romans Argument
Scripture shows that one of the earliest and potentially most devastating problems faced by God’s people in the first century concerns the question of how Jews and Gentile should relate to one another. After Peter taught Cornelius and his household, there were those among the Jews who demanded answers from Peter as to why he would associate with Gentiles (Acts 10-11). Then came the Judaizing teachers who argued that the path of salvation for the Gentiles was for them to be circumcised according to the Law. In essence, they needed to accept the Law first, then they could properly be Christians. This error brought about the conference in Acts 15, focusing on Cornelius and his conversion as it had significant implications for all Gentiles. This problem did not go away quickly. The division between Jew and Gentile was strong, but the answer was not to try to make Jews out of Gentiles. The answer was to show how all can be disciples of Jesus Christ by faith through God’s grace. What held true then holds true today. Salvation is available to all by faith through grace (Eph 2:1-10). Let’s consider one book in particular that is devoted to this point.
The book of Romans is the leveling of the playing field for Jews and Gentiles. Think of how the argument flows. The letter starts by showing that all (Jew and Gentile) are sinners (chs. 1-3). Then, all who come to God do so through faith, not Law. The proof of this is that Abraham was justified by faith well before the giving of the Law (ch. 4). Justification, then, is not available just to the Jews because they had the Law (though they were blessed by receiving it as God’s chosen people to bring about the Messiah). Rather, Gentiles can also come to Christ, without the Law, by faith. Indeed, any who come to Christ must do so by faith rather than works of the Law. Just as all are guilty of sin, so all who are saved are saved the same way: through faith. Thankfully, because it is not through the Law, but through faith, God’s grace is also available to all rather than limited to a small elite group (cf. Acts 10:34-35). Because of this, Paul argues that we are under grace rather than Law (chs. 5-6).
Yet, the grace of God is no license to sin, but is incentive to recognize that we have died to sin and are alive to God (ch. 6). The old fleshly man, while constantly wanting to rear his ugly head, is to be put to death daily so that we may live by the Spirit. There is no life apart from the Spirit of Christ (chs. 6-8). Indeed, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ; these have been set free from the law of sin and death (ch. 8).
The Jews needed to understand that though God granted them special favor as His people, they were supposed to be lights to the Gentiles. Yet by rejecting the Lord, the gospel went to the Gentiles, who began to see what many of the Jews did not: Christ was indeed Lord, and the essence of the gospel leads to this confession (chs. 9-11). This, in turn, would bring many of the Jews back around to the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. Then we see the practical effects of how God’s people are to behave toward one another. Chapters 12-15 show that Jews and Gentiles are not to despise one another but are to see that Christ died for the same “all” who are guilty of sin. Consequently, they are to love one another as those for whom Christ died. They are to respect one another’s conscientious practices, be at peace with each other, and live in society not as rebels, but as obedient servants of the Lord who bought them. They are all living sacrifices to Him. Coming to the Lord by faith through grace comes with a recognition of responsibilities both to God and one another.
Romans levels the playing field in salvation by showing that everyone is not only guilty of sin, but they all share the same access to the Lord. Faith is the key, and this can only come through the hearing of the word of God (10:17). This runs hand in hand with Galatians, and is also, essentially, a grand commentary on the nature of the gospel as it is extended to all alike. For this, Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (1:16-17). There is no justification through works of the Law; that was not to be an end in itself. There is no life apart from faith, and there is no salvation apart from grace. God’s word ties all of this together and weaves a beautiful picture of what it is to be God’s people in Christ. “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel…” (16:25-27).
