Romans lecture Part 12

Lecture: by Dr. Robert A. Morey

Notes: by Danny Pelichowski

Romans part 12

Lecture update:

• The book of Romans has been used by God to induce great revival throughout history.
• The wonderful story of God’s grace in the doctrine of justification becomes the battering ram that breaks through the works righteousness mentality that grips the natural heart of man.

Romans 4:13-14 The God of promise.

• Faith is always necessary when dealing with God’s promise, covenant, and law. In order to obey the law you have to believe it to begin with.
• The contrast between law and promise is discussed here as well as Galatians 4.
• The law does not in any way negate the promise of God.
• The promise was of a coming of a savior. The promise was of salvation and forgiveness of sin that would go forth to all regardless of racial distinction.
• This promise could not be nullified by the coming of the law.
• The promise was through faith and not through the Mosaic Law.
• If our righteousness came through obedience to the law then faith is empty and unnecessary and the promise is nullified.
• The book of Galatians is Paul’s commentary on certain aspects of the book of Romans
• Galatians 2:21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
• If salvation comes through our obedience to the law then 4 things are true.
1. Faith is made void
2. The Promise is nullified
3. The Grace of God is nullified
4. Christ died needlessly

• If we can be saved by our own performance then why did God send His Son?
• The Muslim argument against Christianity is that they do not need a savior because through their obedience to Allah, through their prayers, pilgrimages, and giving of alms they save their selves. The Muslims are very proud of this position.
• On the contrary the Scriptures tell us that Abraham cannot boast before God on the basis of his good works but that salvation comes to those who believe in Him who justifies the ungodly.

Romans 4:15 the law brings wrath

• Certain commentators interpret this passage as meaning that when man hears God’s law, man in his fallen nature rebels and hates being constrained by God telling him what to do and not to do. Example: a Child who does the exact opposite that their parents tell them to do simply because they were told not to do it.
• Other commentators point out that this passage is not talking about the wrath of man but the wrath of God. In the context Paul is talking about how the promise and the law are both viewed as means where blessings can come from God.
• Paul explains that the law instead of bringing blessings from God only brings wrath and judgment.
• Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
• “While we were enemies” God viewed US as His enemies.
• The wrath that is being spoken of here in Romans 4:15 is the wrath of God.
• For the wrath of God is the only thing that we are going to get out of the law.
• The law exacts full punishment for the full extent of the law and there is no mercy in law.
• The purpose of the law is not salvation. (So those like John Wayne who think that they will make it into heaven because they have lived a “good life” will have no mercy before the law because the law will judge every man under the wrath of God.)
• Through the law Paul finally understood that he was a sinner. Romans 7:7-12 ESV “what then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
• Paul was a Pharisee who used to view the law as a means to gain righteousness and now Paul has understood that the law is a mirror that reveals depravity.
• All you will every get out of the law is how wicked you are.
• The law is the hanging judge of the universe and will never let you off.
• The only thing that God owes mans is judgment.
• Paul is speaking about the revealed law, not the work of the law (conscience) written on the heart.
• If there is no revelation of a specific law then there can be no violation of a certain law.

Romans 4:16-17 for this reason justification is by faith and the promise rests on grace

• Salvation does not depend on whether you know the law. Even Abraham was saved before and without the Mosaic Law.
• No other so called “scriptures” in other religions ever speak about grace and mercy.
• God’s dealing with man can be divided into grace and justice
• Faith was the virtue that was chosen by God because it was the “empty” virtue.
• Other virtues like patience, obedience, kindness, love, goodness all depend on man’s performance and can sway back and forth depending on the day.
• Faith is the “empty” virtue because it earns you no merit. Believing someone does not earn a person merit as if he or she did something on their own account.
• Faith is the “empty” virtue because faith cannot earn a person a wage for faith is the empty hand that receives a gift and does not work (see Romans 4:4-8).
• The promise of grace is for all the decedents, not only those who are under the law but those who share the faith.
• God in justification declares us what we aren’t. We are declared righteous even though we ourselves are not sinless. God pronounces the ungodly godly.
• The pronouncement is not based on our performance but on Christ’s, not on our works but on his.
• The declaration of righteousness of the believer is not a legal fiction but a legal transference and a legal reality.

Closing prayer

• We are never holy and righteous in and of ourselves, its Jesus and His righteousness, Jesus and His holiness! He is our hope, our beauty, and our foundation.