Mastering the Book of Romans

The title, Mastering the Book of Romans, subtitled, Formula 4, World Peace. The Apostle Paul's epistle to the Romans presents us with a blueprint for individual and the formula for world peace. It's a road map for peace for the individual and for the nations.

There are three broad types of peace spoken of in the Bible. One is peace with God, one is the peace of God, and the other is to live peacefully with all men. Let's go to Romans 15 and verse 33. We'll be using that handout later. Romans 15 and verse 33.

If you can master the book of Romans, you shall have basically mastered Paul's epistles, especially with those things that Peter says that are difficult. It's not easy to understand that some rest to their own destruction, and many continue to rest the writings of Paul. In Romans 15 and verse 33, Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Remember the title. It is Mastering the Book of Romans, the formula for world peace. Now in chapter 16 and verse 20, and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. So we see in both cases here, both of these verses, the God of peace. And now in verse 25, Romans 16 and verse 25.

Now to Him that is a power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. So it is the formula for world peace for all nations. Back in Romans chapter 5, here we see making peace with God in Romans chapter 5.

Romans chapter 5 verse 1, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We're going to come back and go all the way through the book of Romans today. We're going to master the book of Romans an hour and 10 minutes. It can be done. We've done it before.

Making peace with God. Verse 10, for when we were enemies, why were we enemies? Because we were in our sins. And because God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, and because we have repented and exercised faith in the sacrifice of Christ, he's removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west to remember them no more. And we have peace with God. For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled. We shall be saved by his life. Now we go quickly to Philippians 4. A few pages forward to Philippians 4, and we'll see here the peace of God. To have the peace of God has to do with the fact that no matter what happens in your life, it would tie in with the sermonette of trials. No matter what happens, if you have the peace with God and the peace of God, you're settled, you're established, you cannot be shaken, and you know where in you stand. In Philippians 4 or 5, let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful, which means be anxious for nothing. So you have peace with God. But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, the peace of God in which there's just this settled feeling that comes over you that you know and know that you know that no matter what happens, it's okay. You're going to make it. You have peace with God, and you have peace of God. The peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And now forward, we go to Hebrews, the peace with all men. So if we have peace with God, that involves making peace with all men, because you have to repent of sins against God and men to achieve peace with God. But let's reinforce it here with Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12 and verse 13. In Hebrews 12-13, "...and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." Of course, in resurrection, as it talks about in Revelation 22 and verse 4, and you shall look upon the face of God. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail at the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness bringing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

The book of Romans teaches us all these things and so, so much more.

When Paul wrote the book of Romans, the economic, social, moral, religious, and political conditions of the Roman Empire resemble that which you see in America today. Extensive trade in commerce existed among the nations of the empire. Individual rights had been extended to the masses in exchange for their loyalty and allegiance to the empire and to Caesar.

Fun and frivolity pervaded the ruling class and extended down to the masses, the circus maximus and entertaining the populace. They were entertained, and even saw humans fight against wild beasts. I don't see how that's entertainment, but they cheered. On the one hand, a hedonistic philosophy prevailed of let's eat, drink, and be married. Tomorrow we may die, but on the other hand, they were very superstitious and tried to appease all the gods. Sexual promiscuity dominated the upper class. Most of the Roman emperors were sexual perverts, many of them being bisexual and or homosexual.

The law made it easy to get a divorce. There was continual fighting, wars, deception, conspiracies, as described by Shakespeare in his famous play, Julius Caesar. Even though Rome was the superpower of the day, the emperors seemed to be continually waging war in order to beat down their enemies and extend their empire. The empire extended all the way from the British Isles back into France and Spain and across and back to the east, even east of Jerusalem and the Middle East. There was a public veneer of peace, yet everyone was at war. Everyone was at war with something or somebody. Paul describes the depth of their depravity, truly the way of peace they did not know. In order for the world to know peace, mankind must become converted on an individual, national, and international basis.

Now we go to our handout and we're going to look at the overview of the book of Romans because it is the blueprint, the roadmap to world peace. You'll notice here on the handout at the top, now whether this is by design, which I frankly doubt necessarily that it is, but at the same time, it's an easy way to look at the book of Romans and get all the chapters sort of in place in your mind of what they're about. We should turn to, of course we'll be coming back to Romans shortly, but let's turn to Hebrews 6 at this time. If somebody asked you, well, what are the doctrines of your church? Well, so often would say, well, we go to church on Sabbath, which is a very important doctrine. We don't eat pork. We don't eat shellfish. That's one of our teachings.

Would those two be up front? Well, Sabbath may be up front, but here in Hebrews 6 we have defined for us or listed for us the principal doctrines of Christ. We used to have in worldwide there was a booklet, the seven great doctrines of Hebrews 6. In chapter 5, Paul tells in the last four or five verses there that they ought to be teachers, but at the time when they ought to be teachers, they needed someone to teach them what be the first principles. That's verse 12 of chapter 5. Now, in chapter 6 and verse 1, he lists the first principles. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying in the foundation. So, here he lists the seven basic principles or doctrines of Christ. This seventh one, let us go on to perfection, cuts across all six. So, if you were to list 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in a straight column, then if you drew a diagonal across those six and you put out at the side perfection, because all six are involved in going on to perfection. So, he writes, repentance from dead works. You're never going to have peace unless the world repents. Faith toward God. You have to have faith in the sacrifice of Christ or remission of sins.

The doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and we're to live the resurrected life now, as Paul describes in Romans 6, coming up out of the watery grave of baptism, and of eternal judgment, and this will we do if God permit. Now, the first part of verse 1, leaving the principles of doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection. So, we look at the book of Romans. Look at your handout. The first three chapters of Romans deal with repentance.

Chapter 1 of Romans takes the Gentiles to task.

Chapter 2 of Romans takes the Jews to task. They were given the law, boasted in the law, but did not keep the law.

And then in Romans 3.23, Paul has the great summary Scripture. All have sinned, Jew and Gentile, and fallen short of the glory of God.

Then, beginning in Romans 3.25 through Romans 5, Paul deals with faith. How are you justified? It is through faith, and all that faith implies and deals with.

Then in chapter 6, he deals with baptism.

Chapter 7, the Holy Spirit. I mean, chapter 7 and 8, the Holy Spirit.

Then, resurrection and judgment. And then, going on to perfection, chapters 12 through 16. So this broadly outlines the book of Romans. Romans 12 through 16, in essence, concentrates and focuses on how you can go on to perfection. Remember Romans 12.1, I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God that you present your body as a living sacrifice, which is your reasonable service. Now, the key words, sin.

What is sin? Transgression of the law, repentance, turning from sin, faith, understanding that Christ died for your sins. The only way that sins can be remitted is through the sacrifice of Christ. Baptism, in what it implies, putting death through the old man, being raised to newness of life. Justification, having to do with repentance and faith.

The work of the Holy Spirit, propituation, means Christ went in our stead. The law of grace and the law of grace issue, obedience, sons of God, spiritual Israel, baptism, living sacrifice, and the nature of God. That's some of the key words and concepts.

Now, let's go chapter by chapter. We go back to Romans. Romans chapter 1.

Romans chapter 1, we'll look at verse 7.

We'll read there what's in the handout, and then we'll read the specific verse. Paul is ready to preach the gospel in Rome. He's not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation for all peoples for all times.

The nations, the Gentiles, were taken to task for their idolatry and denial of God, resulting in them being given over to reprobate mine. Now, in your Bible, let's read Romans 1.7. Romans 1.7 Now we pick it up again in verse 15.

The power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek is for everybody. So, remember what we read there in Romans 16 and verse 27. The gospel is for all nations. Formula for world peace.

And when the world truly does have peace, they shall have, going through, everything that's described regarding conversion in the book of Romans.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.

See, God has been faithful. He has kept His word. He has promised a Messiah. He has kept His word. And now He is asking us to have faith in the Son of God and to live by faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who, and the correct translation of this is, who hold back the truth in unrighteousness.

I would hate to be in anyone's shoes who holds back the truth of God in unrighteousness.

Trying to make the Scripture fit what they want it to fit or trying to suppress this, that, or the other because of any kind of pet doctrine or whatever anybody might hold.

Be a fearful thing to hold back the truth in unrighteousness.

Well, one of the ways, of course, they held back the truth in unrighteousness in Rome was because of their lysivious, licentious ways that were so great that it clouded out basically everything that was there to the point, of course, that they were throwing Christians into the into the arena, the circus maximus, and they were devoured.

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it under them. Just as we have such intellectual vanity today in which people boast of their so-called great knowledge from Carl Sagan to the others that we could name with regard to Dawkins and some others with regard to this, claiming that there is no God and that there is a physical explanation for everything that exists, whereas God, on the other hand, says even a fool can look at the creation and know that this cannot possibly come to pass just through some kind of accidental or any other kind of situation that you want to name that might have to do with certain laws coming together at a certain time. But then you get into, well, who created the law and where did matter come from, and it's just a never-ending... They can't explain it even though they they feigned to, and with intellectual vanity and those who get caught up in it, they get deceived by it.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen.

Now, hold your place right there. Look at Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 1 says, the invisible things.

Verse 3, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. See, God spoke and it appeared. Now we go back to Romans chapter 1 verse 20. 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. There's no excuse for the intellectual vanity and pomposity that we see today. There is no way that you can reason around and logically come to the conclusion that the intricacies of creation, both in the physical and the living sense and especially humankind, could possibly have come into being as a result of some kind of evolutionary process. If there were no other reason or proof for the existence of God, it would be nothing else makes sense. There is nothing else that makes sense because when they knew God, see from the Garden of Eden, there were stories that went out, were carried around the world, especially after the flood, about the Garden of Eden, about Noah and his family, and about the flood. There are stories all over the world about that because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain. That's intellectual vanity. Their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise. They became fools. Psalm 14.1, the fool has said in his heart, there is no God. Change the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man into birds, four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God into a lie and worship and serve the creature more than the Creator who has blessed forever. Amen.

And of course, some of the liberal types and Hollywood types today are more willing to die to save a tree than they are to save you. For this cause, God gave them up to vile affections. For even their women did change their natural use into that which is against nature.

If you look at nature, it's male and female. And likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts one toward another, men with men, working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves, that recompense of their error which was fitting.

Now, watch a few minutes of a television program this week at the commercial at the football game.

The Good Wife is the title of the series. Now, the Good Wife has left her husband divorced because he had an affair. And it was so grievous because this affair was with his best friend.

And so, their divorce, now she has a teenage daughter that she's trying to reconcile with and have a relationship with. And so, it cut away from what she was doing. The teenage daughter called her and says, where are you? And she was putting on her clothes after having an encounter with her new lover out of wedlock. She tells her daughter that she is at lunch. The daughter says it's rather late for lunch, isn't it? And she sort of passes it off. Then it cuts back to the daughter and she's at a religious meeting in which the teacher is saying, how many times in the Bible does the word divorce appear? Well, it appears six times. I'm just quoting from him. I haven't looked it up. And then he says, well, how many times in the Bible does the Bible say anything about gays? He says twice. Of course, it's more than that. And it's like, okay, if that's mentioned more than divorce is worse, and see her mother has divorced, that's worse than being gay. And so, you accept gays and you hate divorce. Well, God hates both. But this kind of stuff is there all the time. That is, massaging, manipulating, conditioning the minds of our youth. And adults sit there and watch it, too. And as if nothing is wrong. In verse 28, and 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.

So in chapter one, Paul takes the Gentiles to task. Now, in chapter two, Paul takes the Jews to task for judging the Gentiles for their licentious ways, yet while knowing the law, they are found to be transgressors of the very law in which they boast themselves. Oh, we gave you. We have the law. We're better than you are. We're God's people. You're not God's people. We're God's people. Then Paul identifies true Jews at the end of chapter two. Let's go there in Romans 2.

In verse 26, Therefore, if the uncircumcision, the Gentiles, keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision, and shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfilled the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision does transgress the law. In other words, you have the law. You have every advantage. You've been circumcised, but you don't keep the law. Circumcision doesn't ensure you're going to keep the law.

Neither does it ensure you're going to keep the law, because of your genetic endowment. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly. Neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly. And circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. So Paul says, well, here's the true Jew. Here's what the Israel of God is like. It's Jew and Gentile who have a circumcised heart in the spiritual sense.

Then chapter 3. Paul states that the Jews had an advantage because the oracles of God were committed to them, but concludes none are righteous. Gentile or Jew all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. He then explains that God sent Christ to redeem, to justify all humankind through faith in the sacrifice of Christ. And this introduces the law of grace controversy, in which some claim that grace nullifies the law of God. Paul concludes that all have sinned, come short of the glory of God, Romans 3.23, then shows how all can be justified. So let's read Romans 3 verse 1. What advantage then hath the Jew, or what prophet is there of circumcision? Much every way, chiefly, because then unto them were committed the oracles of God. God gave them the law. He called them out, not because they were better than any other nation. Ezekiel 16 describes their condition when God called them out. They were a pitiful lot. But the answer to that question is, why did God start with the Jews? Well, He had to start somewhere, and He decided to start with the Jews. Does that make them better? No. He's not a respecter of persons. He gave them His law. Does that make them better? No. But they did have an advantage, because unto them were committed the oracles of God. God spoke to them first.

Much every way, chiefly because then unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what, if some did not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith in God without effect?

God forbid, lest ye let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written, that you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? So this is the doctrine of the Nicolae Iotans, in which they said that the more sin you do, the greater the glory of God, because the more sin he can forgive, the greater he's glorified. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, of course it doesn't. Righteousness commends the righteousness of God. What shall we say? Is God unrighteous, who takes vengeance? I speak as a man. God forbid, for then how shall God judge the world? If there were no law, there would need be no basis for God's vengeance upon the world and judging the world. There'd be nothing. Anyone have any basis for doing it? Just do whatever you want to do.

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why yet am I also just a sinner? So if it's the way that some are saying, like verse 8, and not rather as we are slandishly reported and as some affirm that we say, let us do evil, that good may come, whose damnation is just. So Paul in no way was teaching the doctrine of the Nicolae Iotans, though some misconstrued and twisted, and that's basically what is happening in the world today, misconstrued and twisting the truth of God and trying to make it into this cheap, grace, only believed kind of salvation. Now Paul comes to the conclusion—let's read Romans 3.23 again—for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Now he shows us in the succeeding verses here in chapter 3 how a person is justified.

So now we have, if we're looking at this broad outline of Romans, chapters 1 and 3 deals with basically repentance, and now repentance and faith are linked together beginning in Romans 3.25. So we're going to start in Romans 3.24, being justified freely by his grace.

Now grace, if you don't know that Greek word, you've got to know that Greek word, and the meaning of it, it's charis, C-H-A-R-I-S. It means divine favor. One of the components of divine favor is forgiveness, being justified freely by his divine favor through the redemption, the buying back power that is in Christ Jesus. We are sold under sin, bond service to sin, to be bought back requires the death of someone, and Jesus Christ, verse 25, went in our stead, whom God has set forth to be a perpetuation. Perpetuation means to go in the place of somebody else, whom God has set forth to be a perpetuation. So if somebody goes and pays your traffic ticket for you, and went in your stead, in this case, the stakes are much higher. And God has set forth to be a perpetuation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness. See, God has kept his promise. He is faithful from faith unto faith. He has been faithful. What about us? Are we going to be faithful to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God?

Now, what do you do on your notes? You draw a line straight down, a vertical line.

And on the left side, you put in your sins. On the right side of that line, you put justified. At the top axis, you put faith in Christ. At the bottom axis, you put obedience.

To get to the other side of that line in the justified position, you have to repent and have faith in Christ. So at the top of that line, you put repent and faith in Christ.

Add that to faith in Christ at the top axis. That goes along with the obedience at the bottom. Now, let's say that you somehow, some way, could start perfectly obeying the law of God.

Would that move you into the justified position? No, because the wages of sin is death.

But can you move there without repenting and being willing to obey? The answer is no. If that were the case, then Christ would be the minister of sin, as it says in Galatians 2, 16 through 18. So to get to that other side of the line, you have to repent, have faith in Christ, and be willing to obey, to surrender, submit, and serve God. So you get over here and you're justified. Now, that's initial justification.

If you sin one sin after you are baptized, you receive God's Spirit, do you go back over here on the other side of the line? No. You stay over here until justified unless you commit the unpardonable sin. So there is the initial justification that crosses you from death unto life. You don't want to turn back and go over here and commit the unpardonable sin.

Now, if we look at Romans 2, 13-14, some people have trouble by this Scripture because we're dealing here with initial justification. How do you get on that sins-forgiven, justified side of the line? In Romans 2, 13, for the hearers of the law are just before God.

I'm sorry, for not the hearers of the law are just before God.

That doesn't get you justified, but the doers of the law shall be justified. This is a continuing justification. You have to continue in repentance and faith and obedience. You hear that again? You have to continue in repentance, faith, and obedience. So after you cross over to that side of the line, on the right-hand side of the page, it's still the same thing if you sin.

You don't automatically jump back in two between these two positions. Some of us even have secret sins, I would imagine. You know David prayed, keep me from secret sins. And what if you die tonight and you haven't repaired your sins? And you haven't repeated a secret sin? Are you going to get a fire? No, you haven't rejected God. You haven't committed the unpardonable sin, as it were. But as we read here, let's read that again. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. If you want to remain in that justified position. Now we continue in Romans 3. We sort of interrupted ourselves. Verse 25 again, Whom God has set forth to be a propituation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, so they. The past is wiped out, the slate is cleaned, the slate can remain clean as you repent and exercise faith in God and Christ.

But someone who habitually commits the same sin over and over again, you need to seek help to see what's wrong. His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness. He's been faithful. He's done his part that he might be just and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus. Whereas boasting then, it is excluded by what law works no but by the law of faith. Now he didn't get justified through any law keeping, even the Ten Commandments. However, you have to put the faith and the law keeping together along with repentance, as you will see very clearly. Whereas boasting then, it is excluded by what law, law works no but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the nations? Yes, of the nations also. Seeing it as one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? I mean, why don't they redo his verse? God forbid! Yay, we establish the law! How do you establish the law? Because if the law were not in effect, the wages of sin is death, if there were no definition of sin as defined by the law, what basis there would be for saying sin is the transgression of the law, or the wages of sin is death. Because Jesus Christ had to die to buy you back from sin and death, you establish that the law is in effect. Otherwise, his death would be a farcical tragedy. I hope we understand that. I mean, why die? There's no sin.

As Paul says, we establish the law through this process. Pretty plain to me. I hope it is to you.

Chapter 4. Paul uses the example of Abraham to demonstrate that faith and obedience are inextricably linked together. The example of Abraham is written for our example.

Hold your place there. Let's read Hebrews 11, verse 1. Hebrews 11, verse 1.

The formal definition of faith, I suppose you would say.

Hebrews 11. Now, faith is the substance. Guess what that word substance is in the Greek? The hypostasis, the ground of being. Faith is the ground of being of things hoped for.

Paul writes in Romans 10, 17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So we have this substance, this foundation, and that is the Word of God. God who is promised is faithful. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It's like we have them. We don't have them in a concrete manner in our grasp that we could reach out and touch it.

It's things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. The evidence of things not seen, of course, is the Spirit of God working that makes it possible. Now, we'll see from Romans 4 how this was exercised by Abraham. So look at Romans 4, 16.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace divine favor to the end or the outcome of the promise. The Bible says that the Lord's outcome might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, not just to the Jews, but to them also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us all.

As it is written, I have made you a Father of many nations before him, whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead and calls those things which be not as though they were. That is speaking about when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac, that he had already received him in a figure from the dead. You see, the substance of things hoped for, that in Abraham's view, that his faith said, okay, Isaac, if I have to slay him, he will rise in resurrection. He'd already received him as a figure from the dead.

The evidence of things not seen, of course, it was the power and spirit of God that would raise him to life again, and Abraham believed that. He knew that. That's how sure it was. Then he goes to another example, verse 18, who against hope, believed in hope. What do you mean, against hope, believed in hope? Against the hope of this world, if you look at it just from the physical, fleshly sense, it was not possible that a woman who was past the age of childbearing and an old man could conceive and have a child. What hope did he believe in?

The promise of God, who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations. According to that which was spoken, so shall your seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead when he was almost a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

So Abraham and Sarah, they are given this promise. You know, at one point after the promise was given, Sarah said, well, maybe we're not doing it right. Maybe we need to work this out according to the flesh. So Abraham, you take my handmaiden, Hagar, go into her, and let's see if that works. Well, he did, and Ishmael was born. Ishmael, the father of the Arabs, who will be a wild man according to the prophecy in his hand against every man.

And basically what we're reading in world news each week in this situation in the Middle East, it goes back to this struggle between Isaac and Ishmael. One of faith, one of the flesh. Being not weak in faith and consider not his own body dead. Verse 20, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He didn't just say, well, I believe you'll give a son. They had to come together, and they had to have intercourse and to conceive that child. They couldn't say, oh, I believe God. They had to obey and do what he said.

And being fully persuaded that he, what he had promised, he was able also to perform, and therefore it was accounted to him. Now, a lot of people read this word imputed, and it's like, I pull off my shoe and give it to you, and now you have my shoe. It's not like I pull off my righteousness and give my righteousness to you, now you have my righteousness. Or like God pulls out his righteousness and just axiomatically, mystically, magically gives it to you. If you obey in faith, then it is another translation for imputed is, reckoned or laid to his account.

So if you faithfully obey, it is reckoned to your account. It was reckoned to his account for righteousness, not that it was a mystical, magical, okay, because I'm right at your righteous. Now, it was not written for his sake alone, but it was that it was imputed to him. But for us also, whom it shall be imputed or reckoned, if we believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.

Now, chapter 5. We're reading the summary now. Paul explains the conversion process after justification by giving a formula for the Holy Spirit creating godly character within us. Believers are justified, reconciled by the death of Christ, but we are saved by the life of Christ. Sin entered the human family through Adam, but we are sinners because we have sinned.

Paul uses the analogy of sin entering the world through Adam, and thus all were cut off from God. And in like manner, all can be reconciled by the obedience of Christ. It doesn't mean that we don't have to obey, but because Christ obeyed and was faithful unto death, we have a Savior. This means that Christ's obedience unto death qualified him to be Savior. It does not mean that he kept the law for us. Grace stands in contrast to disobedience, since the grace of God makes it possible for the death penalty to be removed.

So we see in Romans chapter 5 being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

We can go directly before the throne of God and live in the holy of holies. And not only so, but we glory in tribulation. And see, this ties in with the sermonette of the outcome of trials. These few words here, verses 3, 4, and 5, gives the formula for God creating within us his holy righteous character.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience. If you're in a trial, James writes, let patience have its perfect work that you may behold, entire wanting nothing. That's James 1, 3, and 4. How is that possible? Because in that trial, if you know and know that you know and you have faith in God that he is going to deliver you, you can let patience have its perfect work. So you'll be whole wanting nothing.

Patience works experience. In that word experience, why in the world did it translate experience in the old King James? I don't know. It literally is. Dochim may in the Greek, it means proof or testing. And hope makes us not ashamed. See, we have this knowledge of the big picture of what's going to happen, the final outcome. For faith is the substance of things hoped for. So we have this hope. To a large degree, we're saved by hope because we have this substance in our minds and hearts, indelibly stamped, that we know and we know that we know that that's going to be the outcome of our faith. And hope makes us not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto you. And so we become new creations in God and Christ. And God gives us his Spirit. You know what Acts says in Matthew 5.32? He gives his Spirit to those who obey him. Now, toward the end of chapter 5, Paul knew that some would get the notion that the law, once again, was done away with because that he writes what he does in chapter 5, verse 19, for it's by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. In other words, man was cut off from the tree of life through Adam's sins, driven out of the Garden of Eden and cut off.

So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Does that once again mean that just because Christ obeyed, and you say, I believe Christ obeyed, therefore I'm saved? That's not what that means. Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace is much more abound. That as sin reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then?

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How then shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? So then Paul uses the analogy of baptism to show that the old man is buried, and it is symbolic of being buried with Christ and crucifying the old man and raised to newness of life. So our summary of chapter 6. Paul makes sure that the reader understands that grace does not nullify the law of God. God forbid. He then explains the ordinance of baptism using the analogy of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The resurrected person should be instead of resurrection. The resurrected person is committed to keeping the old man in the watery grave of baptism. Sin is equated with slavery, with Paul concluding that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. I am crucified with Christ, Paul writes in Galatians, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Now chapters 7 and 8 are in some aspects a continuing explanation of how baptism marks a commitment to crucify the old man. Paul explains the purpose of the law. It was given to identify and define sin. The law is holy, just, and good. But breaking the law results in sin, but the law is spiritual. So we'll read Romans 7, 10 through 14. Romans 7 and verse 10.

The commandment which was ordained to sustain life, not to give life. The commandment does not give life.

Human beings were created in the image of God, and the reproduction process was set in. There are various laws, of course, that govern human behavior and conduct and the biology and all of that, but the law in and of itself does not give life. The law in and of itself does not give spiritual life, but the law itself is spiritual because it has God's active presence in it. And the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death.

It sounds like a contradiction, but why, for sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceive me and by it slew me? How did it slay him? Because the wages of sin is death. Therefore, the law is holy as God's active presence in it. The commandment holy and just and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sin. It highlights that it points it out. You know what it is. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, so will understand. Now the succeeding verses, a lot of people misuse, misinterpret, whatever. In these succeeding verses here, Paul describes the struggle between this old man, this mind that's supposed to be in the water and grave of baptism, and this new mind that is raised to newness of life. There's a great struggle.

Some think that he is justifying sin. In no way is he. Look at verse 25.

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God. But with the flesh, the law of sin, it means that the old man is ever there, and he's always struggling to get up. But then this great verse, if this verse were not in the Bible, I should have been discouraged a long time ago and rode off into the sunset. But it is there. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. See, the flesh might be there warring, but if you walk according to the Spirit and you obey and you keep that old man down, there is no condemnation. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, and then it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. How did he condemn sin in the flesh? He showed that you could live in the flesh and obey the law of God. As we note in verse 4, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. See, the righteousness of the law, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh, do mine the things of the flesh, but they that are of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death. To be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither need can be. See, that's the backdrop of that. Then he concludes this part about crucifying the old man in verse 13. If we mortify the deeds of the flesh, we shall live.

Verse 13, for if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if we, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live.

Paul shows us it is possible to walk in the Spirit. Christ lived in the flesh and condemned sin. And so can we. He then shows us that those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God, and they are joint heirs with God, with heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. In Romans 8, 14, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God, we inherit something that God is. God is Spirit, so we're on that plane of existence. See, there were heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. And verse 11 ties into this mightily. Look at verse 11 above.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also make alive your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. So we're all of that same essence, that Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, he will raise us from the dead, we're heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Now, in addition to that, notice verse 26.

Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. God, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is our intercessor, our high priest. He sits at the right hand of the Father. In addition to all these things that he has done in bringing us into the justified position, he also ever lives to make intercession for us. Hold your place there. Look at this great verse, which I've admonished you three or four times already, at least two or three, to memorize. One of the most encouraging things in the Bible, Hebrews 7.25.

Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost. He is able to save them to the uttermost. So do you remember Romans 5.10? When we were enemies of God and reconciled to God by faith in Christ, we shall be saved by his life. So he, the Spirit of God, is within us, and through the spiritual mind we can mortify the deeds of the flesh. But in addition to that, he ever lives to make intercession for us. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. See, that's our high priest.

All things work together for good. Those who love God are called according to his purpose. And you see in verse 28.

In chapter 9, Paul yearns for his countrymen to be saved and then launches into a discussion of how the promises made to Abraham are based on faith and grace. The true sons of Abraham are children of faith in Christ, whether they be Jew or Gentile. That's the essence of chapter 9. Chapter 10, Paul explains the righteousness that righteousness stems from Christ and not from the law written on tables of stone, but the law is written in our hearts and minds. He then explains that the gospel must be preached to all people. In chapter 11, Paul shows that the timing and conditions of the calling of God are in his hands. Because of Israel's blindness, the Gentiles were grafted in so he might have mercy on all. And then from chapter 12 through chapter 16, Paul explains how we can go on to perfection and become living sacrifices.

Brother, we can master the book of Romans. When you really get down to it, it's pretty simple if you're willing to accept what the Scriptures clearly say. So you have that handout there. I hope you spend some time with that this week and be a starting point and a motivation to thoroughly master the book of Romans. Indeed, it is the roadmap, the blueprint for world peace.

When the world is able to go through this process, especially understanding the first eight chapters of Romans, if you really understand the first eight chapters of Romans, then the other writings of Paul, this book, Romans is in the right place in the canonical order.

It is the foundation. It is the foundation for justification.

Now, the general epistles, contrary to what some might talk about, have to do with going on to perfection. And it is beyond justification. Because how many of us, like in James, where he starts off, my brethren count it all joy when you fall into different trials.

I mean, that's not for the weak-hearted or the faint or the babe in Christ.

That is for those who are going on to perfection. So it begins with this book of Romans, where you have laid the foundation and you understand the principles of the doctrine of Christ, as outlined in Hebrews 6, verses 1 and 2. So, brethren, I hope you have a good week and that you spend some time really mastering the book of Romans.