Religion Scripture Readings

Study Guide For Jude 1

Contending for the Faith
These shorter letters of the New Testament are often neglected, but the neglect of this important letter says more about us than it does about the Book of Jude. "Its neglect reflects more the superficiality of the generation that neglects it than the irrelevance of its burning message." (Guthrie)

A. The danger that prompted Jude to write this letter.

1. (1) The author and the readers.

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

a. Jude: The name is literally "Judas." But to avoid connection with Judas Iscariot, the infamous man who betrayed Jesus, most English translators have used the name "Jude."

i. There are six people named "Judas" mentioned in the New Testament, but the best evidence identifies this as the one mentioned in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3: Jude, the half-brother of Jesus.

ii. Jude, like the other half-brothers of Jesus (including James), didn't believe in Jesus as the Messiah until after the resurrection of Jesus (John 7:5 and Acts 1:14).

b. A bondservant of Jesus Christ: Jude was a blood relative of Jesus, but he considered himself only as a bondservant of Jesus Christ. The fact that he wanted himself to be known this way instead of introducing himself as "Jude, the half-brother of Jesus" tells us something of the humility of Jude and the relative unimportance of being connected to Jesus by human relationships.

i. Jesus spoke of this relative unimportance in passage such as Mark 3:31-35 and Luke 11:27-28.

ii. Without a doubt, Jude valued the fact that Jesus was his half-brother and that he grew up in the same household as Jesus. But even more valuable to him was his new relationship with Jesus. To Jude, the blood of the cross that saved him was more important than the family blood in his veins that related him to Jesus. Jude could say with Paul, "Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer." (2 Corinthians 5:16)

c. And brother of James: James was an important leader of the church in Jerusalem and the author of the New Testament letter that bears his name. Both James and Jude were half-brothers of Jesus.

d. To those who are called: Jude wrote to Christians. This is not an evangelistic tract and it deals with things that believers need to hear, but often don't want to.

i. Jude identified his readers as Christians in three specific ways:

- They were called. A person is a Christian because God has called them. The important thing is to answer the call when it comes, just as we answer the telephone when it is ringing.
- They were sanctified by God the Father. This means that they were set apart - set apart from the world and set apart unto God.
- They were preserved in Jesus. Jesus Christ is our guardian and our protector.
3. (2) Jude gives a warm and typical greeting.

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

a. Mercy, peace, and love: This is not the same greeting as found in most of Paul's letters (which usually begin with some variation of "Grace and peace unto you"). Yet it is substantially the same.

b. Be multiplied to you: In the mind and heart of Jude, it wasn't enough to have mercy, peace, and love added to the life of the Christian. He looked for multiplication instead of simple addition.

4. (3) The call to defend the faith.

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

a. I was very diligent to write to you: Jude's initial desire was to write about our common salvation. But something happened - Jude found it necessary to write a different letter. We might say that this was the letter that didn't want to be written.

i. The letter of Jude is essentially a sermon. In it, Jude preached against the dangerous practices and doctrines that put the gospel of Jesus Christ in peril. These were serious issues and Jude dealt with them seriously.

ii. We should be happy that Jude was sensitive to the Holy Spirit here. What might have only been a letter from a Christian leader to a particular church instead became a precious instrument inspired by the Holy Spirit and valuable as a warning in these last days.

b. Concerning our common salvation: Our salvation isn't common in the sense that it is cheap or that everyone has it. It is common in the sense that we are saved in common, in community. God doesn't have one way for the rich and another way for the poor, or one way for the good and another way for the bad. We all come to God the same way. If it isn't a common salvation, it isn't God's salvation - and it isn't salvation at all.

i. An individual Christian may not know it, understand it, or benefit by it, but to be a Christian is to be a part of community. To be a Christian means you stand shoulder to shoulder with millions of Christians who have gone before. We stand with strong Christians and weak Christians; brave Christians and cowardly Christians; old Christians and young Christians. We are part of an invisible, mighty army that spans back through the generations.

ii. "Upon other matters there are distinctions among believers, but yet there is a common salvation enjoyed by the Arminian as well as by the Calvinist, possessed by the Presbyterian as well as by the Episcopalian, prized by the Quaker as well as by the Baptist. Those who are in Christ are more near of kin than they know of, and their intense unity in deep essential truth is a greater force than most of them imagine: only give it scope and it will work wonders." (Spurgeon)

iii. In the 1980's a survey poll found that 70% of Americans who go to church say that you can be a good Christian without going to church. This doesn't match with Jude's idea of a common salvation.

c. Exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith: This was the great need that Jude interrupted his intended letter to address. The ancient Greek word translated "contend" comes from the athletic world - from the wrestling mat. It is a strengthened form of the word meaning "to agonize." Therefore "contend" speaks of hard and diligent work.

i. The verb translated contend earnestly is in the present infinitive, showing that the Christian struggle is continuous.

ii. We contend earnestly for the faith because it is valuable. If you walk into an art gallery and there are no guards or no sort of security system, you must draw one conclusion: there is nothing very valuable in that art gallery. Valuables are protected; worthless things are not.

d. Exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith: If we emphasize the word you, we see that this was something that Jude wanted each individual Christian to do. There are many ways that every Christian can contend earnestly for the faith.

i. We contend for the faith in a positive sense when we give an unflinching witness, distribute tracts, make possible the training of faithful ambassadors for Jesus, or when we strengthen the hands of faithful pastors who honor the Word of God in their pulpits. These are a few among many ways that we can contend earnestly for the faith in a positive sense.

ii. We contend for the faith in a negative way when we withhold support and encouragement from those who compromise the faith, when we speak out against the preaching of another gospel, or speak out against a manner of living that contradicts the message of the gospel.

iii. We contend for the faith in a practical sense when we live uncompromising Christian lives and give credit to the Lord who changed us.

iv. Obviously, faithful missionaries and evangelists contend earnestly for the faith. But so does the Sunday School teacher or home group leaders who is faithful to the Scriptures. People like this contend for the faith just as much as a front-line missionary does, and each one of us should contend for the gospel wherever God puts us.

e. Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints: Here, Jude tells us what we are contending for. There is a lot of earnest contention in the world but usually not for the right things. The faith once for all delivered to the saints is something worth contending for.

i. "The faith" doesn't mean our own personal belief, or faith in the sense of our trust in God. The phrase the faith means "The essential truths of the gospel that all true Christians hold in common." The faith is used in this sense repeatedly in the New Testament (Acts 6:7, 13:8, 14:22, 16:5, 24:24; Romans 1:5 and 16:26; Colossians 2:7, and 1 Timothy 1:2 are just some of the examples). We must contend earnestly for the truth. "The faith is the body of truth that very early in the church's history took on a definite form (cf. Acts 2:42; Romans 6:17; Galatians 1:23)." (Blum)

ii. Once means that the faith was delivered one time, and doesn't need to be delivered again. Of course, we distribute this truth again and again. But it was delivered by God to the world through the apostles and prophets once (Ephesians 2:2). God may speak today, but never in the authoritative way that He spoke through the first apostles and prophets as recorded in the New Testament. "There is no other gospel, there will be none. Its content will be more fully understood, its implications will be developed, its predictions will be fulfilled; but it will never be supplemented or succeeded or supplanted." (Erdman)

iii. For all means that this faith is for everybody. We don't have the option to simply make up our own faith and still be true to God. This faith is for all, but today, it isn't popular to really believe in the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Instead, most people want to believe in the faith they make up as they go along and decide is right for them. More people believe in "the faith that is in my heart" than the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

iv. In the book Habits of the Heart, Robert Bellah and his colleagues wrote about an interview with a young nurse named Sheila Larson, whom they described as representing many American's experience and views on religion. Speaking about her own faith and how it operated in her life, she said: "I believe in God. I'm not a religious fanatic. I can't remember the last time I went to church. My faith has carried me a long way. It is 'Sheilaism.' Just my own little voice." We might say that this highly individualistic faith is the most popular religion in the world, but the idea that we can or should put together our own faith is wrong. Christianity is based on one faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints.

5. (4) We need to contend for the faith because there are dangerous men among Christians.

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

a. Certain men have crept in unnoticed: In part, this is what makes them so dangerous - they are unnoticed. No one noticed that they were dangerous. They didn't wear a "Danger: False Teacher" name tag. These certain men probably claimed to be more Biblical than anybody else was.

i. Crept in means, "To slip in secretly as if by a side door." (Robertson) "Satan knows right well that one devil in the church can do far more than a thousand devils outside her bounds." (Spurgeon)

b. Who long ago were marked out for this condemnation: These certain men have a destiny - the destiny of every false teacher and leader. They are marked and destined for this condemnation, and it is enough to say that they are ungodly men. They are ungodly simply in the sense that they are not like God and no matter the outward appearances, they disregard God.

i. They were unnoticed by men, but not by God. The Lord is not wringing His hands in heaven, worrying about those who deceive others through their teaching and through their lifestyles. They may be hidden to some believers but as far as God is concerned, their condemnation was marked out long ago. Their judgment is assured. The truth will win out; our responsibility is to be on the side with the truth.

c. Who turn the grace of our God into lewdness: These certain men had received something of the grace of God. But when they received it, they turned it into an excuse for their lewdness.

i. The idea behind the ancient word lewdness is sin that is practiced without shame, without any sense of conscience or decency. Usually the word is used in the sense of sensual sins, such as sexual immorality. But it can also be used in the sense of brazen anti-biblical teaching, when the truth is denied and lies are taught without shame. Jude probably had both ideas in mind here, because as the rest of the letter will develop, these certain men had both moral problems and doctrinal problems.

ii. These words of Jude show that there is a danger in preaching grace. There are some who may take the truth of God's grace and turn the grace of our God into lewdness. But this doesn't mean there is anything wrong or dangerous about the message of God's grace. It simply shows how corrupt the human heart is.

d. Who deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ: These certain men deny the Lord Jesus Christ. They do this by refusing to recognize who Jesus said He was, and therefore they also deny who God the Father is also.

i. We are not told specifically how these men deny the only Lord God. It may be that they denied Him with their ungodly living or it may be that they denied Him with their heretical doctrines. Probably both were true.

B. Three examples that show the certainty of God's judgment against the certain men.

1. (5) The example of the people of Israel.

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

a. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this: Jude knew he wasn't telling them anything new. They were already taught this example, but they needed to hear it again and to apply it to their present situation.

i. Ideally, every Christian would read these allusions to the Old Testament and say, "Yes Jude, I know exactly what you are talking about." If we don't know what Jude wrote about, it shows we need to deepen our understanding of the Bible.

ii. "As for the root facts, the fundamental doctrines, the primary truths of Scripture, we must from day to day insist upon them. We must never say of them, 'Everybody knows them'; for, alas! everybody forgets them." (Spurgeon)

iii. "The use of God's Word is not only to teach what we could not have otherwise known, but also to rouse us to a serious meditation of those things which we already understand, and not to suffer us to grow torpid in a cold knowledge." (Calvin)

b. The Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt: Jude reminds us of what happened in Numbers 14. God delivered the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. They went out of Egypt and without unintended delays came to a place called Kadesh Barnea, on the threshold of the Promised Land. But at Kadesh Barnea, the people refused to trust God and go into the Promised Land of Canaan. Therefore almost none of the adult generation who left Egypt entered into the Promised Land.

i. Think of what God did for the people of Israel in this situation, and then how they responded to Him. They experienced God's miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea. They heard the very voice of God at Mount Sinai. They received His daily care and provision of manna in the wilderness. Yet they still lapsed into unbelief, and never entered into the place of blessing and rest God had for them.

c. Afterward destroyed those who did not believe: Those who doubted and rejected God at Kadesh Barnea paid a bigger price than just not entering the Promised Land. They also received the judgment of God. Psalm 95 describes how the Lord reacted to them: For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways. "So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest". (Psalm 95:10-11)

i. The warning through Jude is clear. The people of Israel started out from Egypt well enough. They had many blessings from God along the way. But they did not endure to the end, because they did not believe God's promise of power and protection.

ii. This example gives two lessons. First, it assures us that the certain men causing trouble will certainly be judged, even though they may have started out well in their walk with God. Jude says, "The certain men might have started out well. But so did the children of Israel, and God afterward destroyed those who did not believe." Second, it warns us that we also must follow Jesus to the end, and never be among those who did not believe. The final test of our Christianity is endurance. Some start the race but never finish it.

2. (6) The example of the angels who sinned.

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

a. The angels who did not keep their proper domain: Jude's letter is famous for bringing up obscure or controversial points, and this is one of them. Jude speaks of the angels who sinned, who are now imprisoned and awaiting a future day of judgment.

i. "It is not too much to say that the New Testament no where else presents so many strange phenomenon, or raises so many curious questions within so narrow a space." (Salmond, Pulpit Commentary)

b. Angels who did not keep their proper domain: There is some measure of controversy about the identity of these particular angels. We only have two places in the Bible where it speaks of angels sinning. First, there was the original rebellion of some angels against God (Isaiah 14:12-14, Revelation 12:4). Second, there was the sin of the sons of God described in Genesis 6:1-2.

i. Genesis 6:1-2 is a controversial passage all on its own. It says, "Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose." There is a significant debate as to if the sons of God are angelic beings, or just another way of saying "followers of God" among humans. Jude helps us answer this question.

c. Did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode: This offence was connected with some kind of sexual sin, such as the sexual union between rebellious angelic beings (the sons of God in Genesis 6:2) and the human beings (the daughters of men in Genesis 6:2). We know that there was some sexual aspect to this sin because Jude tells us in the following verse, Jude 7: as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh. The words in a similar manner to these refers back to the angels of Jude 6, and the words gone after strange flesh refers to their unnatural sexual union.

i. We know some things about this unnatural sexual union from Genesis 6. We know that this unnatural union produced unnatural offspring. The unnatural union corrupted the genetic pool of mankind, so God had to find Noah, a man perfect in his generations (Genesis 6:9) - that is, "pure in his genetics." This unnatural union prompted an incredibly drastic judgment of God - a global flood, wiping out all of mankind except for eight people.

ii. We can add another piece of knowledge from Jude 6. This unnatural union prompted God to uniquely imprison the angels who sinned in this way. They are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

iii. As for the specific details of this unnatural union, it is useless to speculate. We don't know how "fallen angel" genetic material could mix with human genetic material. Perhaps it happened through a unique form of demon possession and the fallen angel worked through a human host. We know that angels have the ability to assume human appearance at least temporarily, but we don't know more than that.

d. He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day: God judged these wicked angels, setting them in everlasting chains. Apparently some fallen angels are in bondage while others are unbound and active among mankind as demons.

i. By not keeping their proper place, they are now kept in chains. Their sinful pursuit of freedom put them in bondage. In the same way, those who insist on the freedom to do whatever they want are like these angels - bound with everlasting chains. True freedom comes from obedience.

ii. If angels cannot break the chains sin brought upon them, we are foolish to think that humans can break them. We can't set ourselves free from these chains, but we can only be set free by Jesus.

iii. This reminds us that these angels who sinned with an unnatural sexual union are no longer active. With His radical judgment back in the days of Noah, God put and end to this kind of unnatural sexual union.

iv. This example gives two lessons. First, it assures us that the certain men causing trouble will be judged, no matter what their spiritual status had been. These angels at one time stood in the immediate, glorious presence of God - and now they are in everlasting chains. If God judged the angels who sinned, He will judge these certain men. Second, it warns us that we also must continue walking with Jesus. If the past spiritual experience of these angels didn't guarantee their future spiritual state, then neither does ours. We must keep walking and be on guard.

3. (7) The example of Sodom and Gomorrah.

As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

a. As Sodom and Gomorrah: These two cities (and the cities around them) also stand as examples of God's judgment. Their sin - which was most conspicuously homosexuality, but included other sins as well - brought forth God's judgment.

i. Sodom and Gomorrah were blessed, privileged places. They were situated in a blessed area: it was well watered everywhere … like the garden of the LORD. (Genesis 13:10)

b. Having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh: Jude refers to the account in Genesis 19, where the homosexual conduct of the men of Sodom is described. Ezekiel 16:49 tells us of other sins of Sodom: Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Sexual depravity was not their only sin, but it was certainly among their sins, and Jude makes this plain.

i. The sins described in Ezekiel 16:49 show that Sodom and Gomorrah were indeed prosperous, blessed areas. You don't have fullness of food, and abundance of idleness if you don't have material blessings. But despite their great blessing from God and material prosperity, they sinned and were judged.

c. Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire: In Genesis 19, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with fire from heaven. But that wasn't the end of their judgment by fire. Far worse than what happened in Genesis 19, they suffered the vengeance of eternal fire.

i. This example gives two lessons. First, it assures us that the certain men causing trouble will be judged, no matter how much they had been blessed in the past. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were once wonderfully blessed but eventually suffered the vengeance of eternal fire, so will it be with these certain men. Second, it warns us that we also must continue walking with Jesus. If the blessings of the past didn't guarantee their future spiritual state, then neither does ours.

C. More sins of the certain men.

1. (8) The character of these dangerous certain men.

Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

a. Likewise also: Jude connected the certain men with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah in their sensuality (defile the flesh) and in their rejection of God's authority (reject authority).

i. When Jude pointed out that these certain men reject authority, it meant that they wanted to be in authority. Therefore they rejected the authority of God and they rejected those God put in authority.

ii. Today, our culture encourages us to reject authority and to recognize self as the only real authority in our lives. We can do this with the Bible, by choosing to only believe certain passages. We can do it with our beliefs, by choosing at the "salad bar" of religion. Or we can do it with our lifestyle, by making our own rules and not recognizing the proper authorities God has established.

iii. In the darkest days of Israel, society was characterized by a term: every man did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25) Today, this is the pattern of all the world and especially Western civilization.

b. These dreamers: It is possible that Jude meant that the certain men were out of touch with reality. It is more likely that he meant they claimed to have prophetic dreams which were really deceptions.

c. Speak evil of dignitaries: Probably these dignitaries were the apostles or other leaders in the church. Their rejection of authority was connected with their speaking evil of dignitaries.

2. (9) Michael the archangel as an example of someone who would not speak evil of dignitaries.

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

a. Michael the archangel … the devil: Jude mentioned two kinds of angelic beings. Michael is among the angelic beings faithful to God, who are the servants of God and man. The devil is among the angelic beings rebelling against God, who are the enemies of man.

i. There are invisible, angelic beings all around us. There are ministering spirits sent by God to assist us, and demonic spirits who want to defeat us. The devil can't unsave a saved person; but through his deceptions he can corrupt and defile a Christian who is supposed to walk in purity and freedom. To the devil, we are time bombs, ready to wreck his work - bombs that he would liked to defuse and make ineffective.

ii. Many people today don't believe the devil exists, but the Bible says he does. Or, if they believe he exists, they think of him in funny images from the Middle Ages. Back then, miracle plays were a chief form of entertainment. They were sort of a pageant where religious stories were acted out on stage. The audience learned to look for one character that was always dressed in red, wore horns on his head, and had a tail dangling behind him. His shoes looked like cloven hoofs, and he had a pitchfork in his hand. The audience was amused by this silly characterization of Satan, and got the idea that he was sort of a comical character. The devil doesn't mind being thought of this way.

b. Michael the archangel: This angelic being is mentioned by name in four passages of the Bible: Daniel 10, Daniel 12, Revelation 12 and here in Jude. Every time Michael appears, it is in the context of battle or readiness to fight. He is an archangel, which simply means a "leading angel."

i. If the devil has an opposite, it certainly isn't God. It is Michael the archangel - another high ranking angelic being.

ii. "Let it be observed that the word archangel is never found in the plural number in the sacred writings. There can be properly only one archangel, one chief or head of all the angelic host. Nor is the word devil, as applied to the great enemy of mankind, ever found in the plural; there can be but one monarch of all fallen spirits." (Clarke)

c. When he disputed about the body of Moses: This is another obscure reference by Jude. The last we read about the body of Moses is in Deuteronomy 34:5-6: So Moses, the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows the grave to this day.

i. We don't know where Jude received his information about this dispute. He may have received a unique revelation from God. But according to teachers in the early church, Jude referred to an apocryphal book known as the Assumption of Moses, of which only small portions survive.

ii. We don't even exactly know why there was a dispute about the body of Moses. Some have said that the devil wanted to use Moses' body as an object of worship to lead Israel astray into idolatry. Others have thought that Satan wanted to desecrate the body of Moses, and claimed a right to it because Moses had murdered an Egyptian.

iii. It is more likely consider that the devil anticipated a purpose God had for Moses' body, and he tried to defeat that plan. We know that after his death, Moses appeared in bodily form at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3) with Elijah (whose body was caught up to heaven in 2 Kings 2). Perhaps also Moses and Elijah are the two witnesses of Revelation 11, and God needed Moses' body for that future plan.

iv. But for Jude, the main point isn't why Michael was disputed, but how he disputed with the devil.

d. Dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" The manner of Michael's fight is a model for spiritual warfare. First, we see that Michael was in a battle. Second, we see that he battled with the Lord's authority.

i. This proves to us that Michael is not Jesus, as some heretical groups have thought. Jesus rebuked the devil in His own authority, but Michael did not. "The point of contrast is that Michael could not reject the devil's accusation on his own authority." (Bauckham)

ii. Significantly, Michael dared not bring against him a reviling accusation. Michael did not mock or accuse the devil. God hasn't called us to judge the devil, to condemn the devil, to mock him or accuse him, but to battle against him in the name of the Lord.

iii. This relates to the certain men by a "how much more" line of thinking. If Michael dared not bring against him a reviling accusation against the devil, how much more should these certain men not speak evil of dignitaries.

 

3. (10) More of the bad character of the certain men.

But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

a. But these speak evil: In contrast to Michael, who would not even speak evil of the devil, these certain men spoke evil, especially when they rejected authority and spoke against dignitaries.

b. Of whatever they do not know: The certain men didn't even know the things or the people they spoke evil about. Their evil speech was made worse by their ignorance.

i. Since they also spoke against dignitaries and rejected authority, these certain men did not know about true spiritual leadership and authority - so they found it easy to speak evil against it.

c. Whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves: These certain men pretended to be spiritual, but their only knowledge was really natural. Even what they knew naturally, they still used to corrupt themselves with an unspiritual mind.

i. Brute beasts can be smart or clever in an instinctive way, but they obviously do not have spiritual knowledge. It was the same way with these certain men.

ii. "How ironical that when men should claim to be knowledgeable, they should actually be ignorant; when they think themselves superior to the common man they should actually be on the same level as animals, and be corrupted by the very practices in which they seek liberty and self-expression." (Green)

D. Three examples of the certain men.

1. (11a) The certain men have gone in the way of Cain.

Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain,

a. The way of Cain: Cain's story is found in Genesis 4. Each of the sons of Adam and Eve brought an offering to the Lord. Cain (being a farmer) brought an offering from his harvest. Abel (being a shepherd) brought an offering from his flocks. God accepted Abel's offering, but He rejected Cain's sacrifice.

i. Many people assume that because Abel brought a blood sacrifice and Cain brought a grain sacrifice, that the difference between the two offerings was sacrificial blood. But the real difference was between faith and unbelief. Hebrews 11:4 makes this plain: By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

ii. Cain's sacrifice was probably more pleasing to the senses than the carcass of a dead lamb. But his sacrifice was offered without faith, and therefore it was unacceptable to God. You can give to God whatever you have or whatever you are, but you must offer it in faith.

b. The way of Cain: Genesis 4:5 says that after God rejected his sacrifice, Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. He became angry because he knew he was rejected by God. In a fit of anger Cain murdered Abel, and then he lied about it to God.

i. 1 John 3:12 tells us that Cain murdered his brother because Abel's works were righteous (by faith), while Cain's own were wicked. Cain's lack was not in works, but in faith.

c. The way of Cain: Jude says that Cain typifies a way that the certain men follow in. It is the way of unbelief and empty religion, which leads to jealousy, persecution of the truly godly, and eventually to murderous anger.

i. There is no greater curse on the earth than empty, vain religion; those who have a form of godliness but denying its power. (2 Timothy 3:5) No wonder Paul added, and from such people turn away!

ii. Many Christians are afraid of secular humanism or atheism or the world. But dead religion is far more dangerous, and sends more people to hell than anything else. These certain men were in the way of Cain, they way of dead religion.

2. (11b) The certain men are in the error of Balaam.

Have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit,

a. The error of Balaam: Balaam's story is in Numbers 22 to 25 and 31. During the time of the Exodus, Israel advanced to the land of Moab, after defeating the Amorites. When the Israelites came near, King Balak of Moab sought the help of a prophet named Balaam.

i. The first delegation from King Balak arrived and God told Balaam to have nothing to do with them. God's initial words to Balaam were, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed" (Numbers 22:12).

ii. After the first visit another, more prestigious delegation came with great riches. Balaam wanted to go with them and God allowed him to go. Balaam lusted after the riches and prestige offered to him and God gave him over to his own sin.

iii. God warned Balaam to turn back when he was on the way to see Balak. Yet his heart was set on the rich reward King Balak promised and he continued on. Balaam even ignored a talking donkey, sent to warn him to turn back.

iv. Balaam knew that he has done wrong. In Numbers 22:34, he said to God I have sinned … Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back. But he didn't turn back. He continued on, refusing to see that when God says no, we must take it as a no. Instead, God gave Balaam what his sinful heart desired.

v. After meeting with King Balak of Moab, Balaam prophesied over Israel four times. But as he spoke forth God's word, he did not curse Israel - instead he blessed them each time. When he was unsuccessful in cursing Israel, Balaam advised Balak on how to bring Israel under a curse. Instead of trying to have a prophet curse them, he should lead them into fornication and idolatry and then God would curse a disobedient Israel.

vi. Balak did just that, sending his young women into the camp of Israel to lead Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry. Because of their sin, God did curse Israel - He brought a plague of judgment upon Israel that killed 24,000. Therefore Balaam was guilty of the greatest of sins: deliberately leading others into sin. Worse yet, he did it for money.

b. Greedily in the error of Balaam for profit: The greedy error of Balaam was that he was willing to compromise everything for money. The certain men Jude warned about had the same heart.

i. Many Christians would never deny Jesus under persecution, but might deny Him if offered a large sum of money. There is not a single sin that corrupt man will not commit for the sake of money. Covetousness is such a dangerous sin that it killed Jesus - 30 pieces of silver helped put Jesus on the cross.

ii. Have run greedily is literally "they were poured out" (Robertson). This is a strong picture of excessive indulgence. But Paul also uses the same term for the extravagant way God loves us: the love of God has been poured out in our hearts. (Romans 5:5)

3. (11c) The certain men live out the rebellion of Korah.

And perished in the rebellion of Korah.

a. The rebellion of Korah: Korah's story is found in Numbers 16. He was a prominent man in Israel, and one day came to Moses, saying, You take too much upon yourself, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourself about the congregation of the LORD? (Numbers 16:3) Korah and his followers resented the authority God gave to Moses and Aaron.

i. When Korah said this, Moses fell on his face, knowing God's judgment would soon come. Moses then proposed a test: each group took censers (for burning incense) and came before the Lord. The Lord Himself would choose which man He wanted to represent Him: Moses or Korah.

ii. When they both came before God, the Lord told Moses to step away. The, the ground opened up and swallowed Korah and his followers. After that, fire came down from heaven and burned up all of his supporters. They all perished.

b. Rebellion: Korah was a Levite, but not of the priestly family of Aaron. As a Levite, he had had his own God-appointed sphere of ministry, yet he was not content with it. He wanted the ministry and the authority of Moses.

i. Korah needed to learn this essential lesson: we should work hard to fulfill everything God has called us to be. At the same time, we should never try to be what God has not called us to be.

c. The rebellion of Korah: This was also a rejection of God's appointed leaders, especially God's appointed Mediator. When the certain men rejected authority and spoke evil against dignitaries, they walked in the rebellion of Korah.

i. The rebellion of Korah "lies in the broader idea of a contemptuous and determined assertion of self against divinely appointed ordinances." (Salmond, The Pulpit Commentary)

ii. These three men came from quite different backgrounds: Cain was a farmer, Balaam was a prophet, and Korah was a leader in Israel. Apostasy is never confined to one group of people. "There are apostates in the pulpit, in the palace, and in the poorhouse." (Coder)

E. What the future holds for these certain men.

1. (12-13) A vivid description of the depravity of these certain men.

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

a. Spots in your love feasts: The early Christians often met for a common meal, something like a potluck dinner. They called these meals love feats, or "Agape Feasts." When these certain men came, they were serving only themselves. They ate greedily at the love feasts while others went hungry.

i. At the Agape Feast, everybody brought what they could - some a little, some a lot; but they all shared it together. For some slaves who were Christians it might have been the only decent meal they regularly ate. The selfishness of these certain men spoiled the fellowship. 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 describes a similar problem in the Corinthian church.

ii. It always spoils fellowship when we come to church with a selfish "bless me" attitude. Many who would never eat selfishly at a church meal still come to church concerned with serving only themselves.

iii. Spots: Some Greek scholars think this word should be translated "hidden rocks" instead of spots. One way or another, it doesn't make much real difference to the meaning of the passage.

iv. Serving only themselves: Literally in the ancient Greek this is "shepherding themselves" (Robertson). They were shepherds of a sort - but only shepherding themselves.

b. Clouds without water, carried by the winds: Clouds without water are good for nothing. They bring no life-giving rain and they only block out the sun. They exist just for themselves. The certain men were like these clouds.

i. Once while driving by a factory, my daughter Aan-Sofie looked at the billows of white smoke coming from the smoke stacks. She said, "That's where they make clouds!" These certain men were like those empty clouds - good for nothing, carried by the winds, floating on the breeze from one fad to another.

c. Late autumn trees without fruit: By late autumn, trees should have fruit. But these certain men did not bear fruit even when they should. They were like trees that only take instead of give.

d. Raging waves of the sea: For modern man, the sea is often a thing of beauty. But to ancient man, especially in Biblical cultures, the sea was an unmanageable terror. Isaiah 57:20 expresses this idea: But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. These certain men were busy and active like the raging waves of the sea, but all it brought was foaming up their own shame.

i. Busyness is no mark of correctness. The fruit of these men was like the foam or scum at the seashore. Jude has in mind the ugly shoreline after a storm has washed up all sorts of driftwood, seaweed and debris.

e. Wandering stars: Like comets streaking through the sky, these certain men astonished the world for a time, and then vanished into darkness. An unpredictable star was no good for guidance and navigation. Even so these deceivers were useless and untrustworthy.

f. Blackness of darkness forever: This described their destiny. Unless they repent, they would end up in hell - and be there forever.

i. The punishment of hell is forever because a mere man is paying for his own sins, offering an imperfect sacrifice which must be repeated over and over again for eternity. A perfect man can offer a single sacrifice; but an imperfect man must continually offer a sacrifice.

ii. Our obligations to God are infinite and can therefore only be satisfied in Jesus, an infinite person

2. (14-15) The certainty of judgment upon these certain men.

Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

a. Now Enoch: Here Jude quoted from Enoch, who is described in Genesis 5 and mentioned in Hebrews 11. The ancient book of Enoch was not received as Scripture, but it was highly respected among both the Jews and early Christians.

i. "Tertullian tells us that the book of Enoch's prophecies were preserved by Noah in the ark, and that they continued and were read until the times of the apostles. But because they contained many famous testimonies concerning Jesus Christ, the Jews out of malice suppressed and abolished the whole book." (Trapp)

ii. Jude did not quote from Enoch to tell us anything new, but to give a vivid description of what the Bible already teaches. The Apostle Paul also quoted non-Biblical sources on at least three different occasions (Acts 17:28, 1 Corinthians 15:33 and Titus 1:12). This wasn't to proclaim a new truth, but to support an already established Biblical principle.

iii. Jude's quoting of the book of Enoch doesn't mean that the whole book of Enoch inspired Scripture - only the portion Jude quotes. In the same way, when Paul quoted a pagan poet, he didn't mean that the entire work of the poet was inspired by God.

b. To convict all who are ungodly: In this quotation from the book of Enoch Jude emphasized the words all and ungodly. God is coming to judge all of the ungodly.

c. To execute judgment on all: Many people take the judgment of God lightly. But the most important question in the world is "Will God judge me? Am I accountable to Him?" If we are truly accountable to God, they we are fools if we do not prepare to face that judgment.

i. Think of someone arrested for a crime, with a date to appear in court - but made absolutely no preparation for their appearance before the judge. That person would be a fool. We shouldn't be so foolish, and instead take advantage of our court-appointed advocate - Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1).

3. (16-18) The methods of the certain men.

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

a. Grumblers, complainers … they mouth great swelling words, flattering people: Jude noticed that their methods all revolved around words. On top of their questionable lives, they were essentially a people of deception, departing from the foundation of Jesus Christ, and the apostles and prophets.

b. These are grumblers, complainers: These people were complainers. It has rightly been observed that whenever a man gets out of touch with God he is likely to begin complaining about something.

i. Grumbling "is to insult the God who gives us all things; it is to forget that whatever befalls us, nothing can separate us from His love, nor deprive us of that most priceless of all treasures, the Lord's presence in our lives." (Green)

ii. "You know the sort of people alluded to here, nothing ever satisfies them. They are discontented even with the gospel. The bread of heaven must be cut into three pieces, and served on dainty napkins, or else they cannot eat it; and very soon their soul hates even this light bread. There is no way by which a Christian man can serve God so as to please them. They will pick holes in every preacher's coat; and if the great High Priest himself were here, they would find fault with the color of the stones of his breastplate." (Spurgeon)

c. Flattering people: These certain men knew how to use smooth, flattering words to get an advantage over other people. They would say anything - good or bad - to get an advantage.

d. But you, beloved, remember: We are to be different. We are to remember what Jesus and the apostles said, which were spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. The word of God is always the answer to dangers in or out of the church.

i. The apostles had warned that just these things would happen; and even more so as the day approaches: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

e. There would be mockers in the last time: Perhaps Jude had in mind those who mock the idea of Jesus' return. Or he may mean the kind of men who mock those who don't go along the same path of destruction they travel on.

i. Mockers … who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts: Those who live according to their own ungodly lusts love to mock those who want to please God. Jude wants Christians to expect this kind of mocking, so they won't be surprised by it.

4. (19) The spiritual status of these certain men.

These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

a. These are sensual persons: Essentially, these men were not spiritual; they were carnal and insensitive to the Holy Spirit.

i. Sensual in this context has nothing to do with sexual attractiveness. It describes the person who lives only by and for what they can get through their physical senses, and they live this way selfishly. Their motto is, "If it feels good, do it" or, "How can it be wrong if it feels so right?"

b. Who cause divisions: These certain men had an instinct to separate themselves and make divisions. "The word, found only once in the Bible, denotes those superior people who keep themselves to themselves - Christian Pharisees." (Green)

c. Not having the Spirit: This same description could be written over many churches, or church projects, or evangelism campaigns, or home groups, or even individual Christian lives. The church and the world truly need genuinely spiritual men and women today.

F. What to do about the danger of the certain men.

Significantly, Jude does not tell us to attack the certain men who are a danger to the church. Instead, he tells us to focus on our walk with the Lord, help others affected by the certain men, and to focus on God. We simply are to pay the certain men no attention, except for what is necessary for our warning. God will take care of them.

1. (20-21) Take a look inward.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

a. Keep yourselves in the love of God: We know that God loves even the ungodly (Romans 5:6). Therefore Jude doesn't mean, "Live in such a way to make yourself lovable to God." Instead, to keep yourselves in the love of God means to keep yourself in harmony with God's ever-present love.

i. But we should understand what it means when the Bible says that God loves the ungodly. The significance of the idea that God loves us all has been twisted considerably. Consider the sinner who defends his sinful practice by saying "God loves me just the way I am." His implication is that "God loves me; I must be pretty good." Actually, the fact that God loves him is a reflection on God's goodness, not his own. The perspective isn't, "I'm so great that even God loves me," but "God is so great that He loves even me."

ii. God's love extends everywhere, and nothing can separate us from it. But we can deny ourselves the benefits of God's love. People who don't keep themselves in the love of God end up living as if they are on the dark side of the moon. The sun is always out there, always shining, but they are never in a position to receive its light or warmth. An example of this is the Prodigal Son of Luke 15, who was always loved by the father, but for a time he did not benefit from it.

b. Building yourselves up on your most holy faith: This is one way that we can keep ourselves in the love of God. It means to keep growing spiritually, and to keep building up. Jude tells us, "build yourselves up on your most holy faith." This means that we are responsible for our own spiritual growth. It means that we cannot wait for spiritual growth to just happen, or expect others to make us grow.

i. Jude has shown us the frailty of men and how deceivers even infiltrated the church. If you entrust your spiritual growth to someone else, it will not only hurt your spiritual growth, but it may also lead you astray.

ii. Others can help provide an environment conducive for spiritual growth. But no one can make another person grow in their relationship with the Lord.

iii. On your most holy faith: The most holy faith is the same as the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Jude wasn't talking about growing in the most holy faith (though that is a valid idea). Jude is talking about growing on your most holy faith. We grow on the foundation of the truth.

d. Praying in the Holy Spirit: This is another way to keep ourselves in the love of God. The battle against wrong living and wrong teaching is a spiritual battle, requiring prayer in the Holy Spirit.

i. Many of our prayers are directed by our own needs, by our own intellects, or by our own wishes and desires. But there is a higher level of prayer: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:26)

ii. The Holy Spirit may help us pray by giving us the right words to say when we pray. He may speak through groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26) Or the Holy Spirit may do it through the gift of tongues, a gift God gives to seeking hearts, which want to communicate with Him on a deeper level than normal conversation.

iii. "Such is our sloth, and that such is the coldness of our flesh, that no one can pray aright except he be roused by the Spirit of God … no one can pray as he ought without having the Spirit as his guide." (Calvin)

e. Looking for the mercy of Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life: This is a third way that we can keep ourselves in the love of God. As we keep the blessed hope of Jesus' soon return alive in our hearts, this effectively keeps us in the love of God, and helps us to not give away our faith.

2. (22-23) Take a look outward, to those around you.

And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

a. On some have compassion: Jude begins here to tell us what we must do with those who have been influenced by these certain men. We need to make a distinction, based on where they are coming from. Certainly, on some have compassion.

i. Using wisdom we approach different people in different manners. By being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we can know when we should comfort, and when we should rebuke. Christians should not abandon a friend flirting with false teaching. They should help him through it in love.

ii. The means we continue to love them. No matter how bad a person is, or how misleading and terrible their doctrine, we are not allowed to hate them - or to be unconcerned for their salvation.

iii. Compassion often means watching over someone, helping them with accountability. "Meantime watch over others as well as yourselves; and give them such help as their various needs require." (Wesley)

b. Others save with fear: This second group must be confronted more strongly - but in fear, not in a sanctimonious superiority. You may need to pull them out of the fire, but never do it in pride.

i. This outward look is important. It demonstrates that we are not only concerned for our own spiritual welfare. It proves that we genuinely care about other Christians who are edging towards significant error.

3. (24-25) Take a look upward to the God of all glory

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

a. Now to Him: Jude closes the letter with a famous doxology (a brief declaration of praise to God). Jude's doxology reminds us of God's care and of our destiny.

b. Who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present faultless: Jude's message of warning and doom might have depressed and discouraged his readers. Perhaps they thought that with so much false teaching and immorality around, very few Christians would ever reach heaven. Here he reminds them that the answer lies only in the power of God. He is able to keep you, and you aren't able to keep yourself.

i. In mountain climbing, the beginning hiker attaches himself to the expert so that if he loses his footing he won't stumble and fall to his death. In the same manner, if we keep connected with God, we cannot fall. He keeps us safe.

ii. By comparing passages of Scripture, we also find out who is really responsible for our safe keeping. Jude began the letter by addressing those who are preserved in Jesus (Jude 1). Then he exhorted Christians to avoid dangerous men and to keep themselves in the love of God (Jude 21) Here at the end he concluded with the recognition that it is ultimately God who keeps us from stumbling and falling. Paul put the same idea in Philippians 2:12-13: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

iii. Keeping us spiritually safe is God's work. But you can always tell the people He is working in, because they are working also. God doesn't call us to simply let the Christian life happen to us and He doesn't command us to save ourselves. He calls us to a partnership with Him.

c. Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy: As God is faithful, we won't have to slink shamefacedly into the presence of God. We can be presented before Him with exceeding joy.

d. Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever: This all reminds us of God's wisdom, glory, and power. Jude isn't trying to say that we can or should give these things to God. When we acknowledge and declare the truth about God, it glorifies Him. We aren't giving God more majesty or power than He had before; we are just recognizing and declaring it.

i. Both now and forever: This could also be translated "unto all the ages." This is "as complete a statement of eternity as can be made in human language." (Robertson) Our victory, our triumph in God, is forever.

ii. There is serious deception in the world and often among those called Christians. There are enemies of the gospel who have infiltrated the church. Yet despite the greatness of the threat, God is greater still. He wins, and if we will only stay with Him, we are guaranteed victory also.

iii. Jude is a book full of warning, but it closes with supreme confidence in God. Dangerous times should make us trust in a mighty God

 

Daniel 1

Keeping Pure In The Face of Adversity
A. Introduction.

1. Setting the time: The prophet Daniel lived in the sixth century before the birth of Jesus. During this approximate period:

- Construction on the Acropolis in Athens began
- Mayan civilization flourished in Mexico
- Aesop wrote his fables
- Confucius and Buddha lived
- Greek art began to truly excel
- The Phoenicians made the first known sea journey around Africa
- The Greeks introduced the olive tree to Italy
2. The Book of Daniel has been a target of critics who doubt that the Daniel described in the book wrote the book, especially in light of the book's amazing prophecies.

a. Who wrote the Book of Daniel? It claims to have been written by Daniel himself, and the fact that it is written mostly in the third person does not contradict that claim.

i. The author mostly speaks in the third person, except for Daniel 8:1, 9:2, 9:20, and 10:2, where he speaks in the "I, Daniel" form. However, it was customary for ancient writers to speak in the third person even when writing about themselves. The one Old Testament exception to this is the Book of Nehemiah, which is in the form of a personal diary.

ii. Even God switches between the grammatical first and third person when speaking of Himself: compare Exodus 20:2 (I am the LORD your God) and Exodus 20:7 (for the LORD will not hold him guiltless).

iii. Fortunately, Jesus takes away all doubt on the matter. He tells us that Daniel wrote the book of Daniel: Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet. (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14)

b. Daniel describes events of the second century before Jesus (especially the period 175-164 B.C.) with such precision that critics believe it had to have been written after that period, during the time of the Maccabees (in between the Old and New Testaments). Supposedly, the purpose for writing Daniel at that time was to inspire God's people on to victory during the Maccabean wars.

i. The first one to suggest a Maccabean date for Daniel was the Neoplatonic philosopher Porphyrius of Tyre (third century A.D.) Porphyrius couldn't believe the prophecies, so he suggested the later date. Jerome, in his commentary on Daniel, spent much of his time refuting these arguments.

ii. Beginning in 1771, influenced by the Enlightenment, academics began to revive the old Maccabean date theory about the Book of Daniel. They all agreed that every accurate prediction in Daniel was written after the events took place.

c. The modern argument for "late dating" Daniel is based on supposed inevitable mistakes that a second century B.C. writer made when writing about a period 400 years before, in the sixth century B.C. In our own day, it would be as if someone wrote a story about the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock and they mentioned speedboats and computers. We would know that it was a forgery.

d. There are usually said to be five main historical blunders:

- The "wrong date" for Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Judah
- Using the word "Chaldeans" to describe a class of soothsayers
- The "obviously legendary" account of Nebuchadnezzar's madness
- King Belshazzar and his relationship to Nabonidus
- The "legendary" figure of Darius the Mede
i. There is also a linguistic argument made, claiming Greek words are used in Daniel are words that did not come into the Hebrew vocabulary until the second century B.C.

e. As we go through the Book of Daniel, we will give special attention to these issues, and what modern archaeological research has to say about them. But we should ask: why such a strong attack against the Book of Daniel? Simply because Daniel contains more fulfilled prophecies than any other book in the Bible. In New Testament prophecy, Daniel is referred to more than any other Old Testament book.

i. At times, Communist governments prohibited preaching from the Book of Daniel because it reveals God's knowledge of the future, and it shows that in the end the LORD God and His people win.

3. (1-2) Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.

a. Jehoiakim king of Judah: This was a Judean king placed on the throne by the Pharaoh of Egypt. His name means "Yahweh raises up," but the LORD did not raise him up at all - Pharaoh did.

b. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: This was the mighty ruler of the Babylonian Empire. The name Nebuchadnezzar is a Hebrew transliteration of the Babylonian name Nebu-kudduri-utzur, which means "Nebu protects the crown."

c. Came to Jerusalem and besieged it: Why did Nebuchadnezzar come against Jerusalem? Because the Pharaoh of Egypt invaded Babylon. In response the young prince Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians at Charchemish, then he pursued their fleeing army all the way down to the Sinai. Along the way (or on the way back), he subdued Jerusalem, who had been loyal to the Pharaoh of Egypt.

i. This happened in 605 B.C. and it was the first, but not the last encounter between Nebuchadnezzar and Jehoiakim. There would be two later invasions (597 and 587 B.C.).

d. Is this a historical blunder? This invasion in 605 B.C. is not mentioned in the book of Kings, but Josephus' quotation of the Babylonian historian Berossus shows that the Biblical account of three separate Babylonian attacks on Judah is accurate (Against Apion, I 19; Antiquities, X 11, 1).

i. The Babylonian chronicles are a collection of tablets discovered as early as 1887, and are held in the British Museum. In them, Nebuchadnezzar's 605 B.C. presence in Judah is documented and clarified.

ii. When the Babylonian chronicles were finally published in 1956, they gave us first-rate, detailed political and military information about the first 10 years of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. L.W. King prepared these tablets in 1919; he then died, and they were neglected for four decades.

iii. Excavations also document the victory of Nebuchadnezzar over the Egyptians at Carchemish in May or June of 605 B.C. Archaeologists found evidences of battle, vast quantities of arrowheads, layers of ash, and a shield of a Greek mercenary fighting for the Egyptians.

iv. This campaign was interrupted suddenly when Nebuchadnezzar heard of his father's death and raced back to Babylon to secure his succession to the throne. He traveled about 500 miles in two weeks - remarkable speed.

v. The siege of Jerusalem in 605 B.C. was cut short by Nebuchadnezzar's return to Babylon. This is not specifically detailed in the Babylonian Chronicles, but it is entirely consistent with the record.

e. In the third year of the reign: There is also no contradiction between Daniel, who says this happened in the third year of Jehoiakim, and Jeremiah 46:2, which says it was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. Daniel reckoned a king's years after the Babylonian method: the first year of a king's reign begins at the start of the calendar year after he takes the throne. Jeremiah uses the Jewish method.

i. "It was customary for the Babylonians to consider the first year of a king's reign as the year of accession and to call the next year the first year … Having spent most of his life in Babylon, it is only natural that Daniel should use a Babylonian form of chronology." (Walvoord)

f. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand: In this 597 B.C. deportation, Jehoiakim, Ezekiel and others were taken away. This deportation is described in 2 Kings 24:14-16.

i. Though Judah is conquered, God's hand is obvious; He is in command. This was prophesied in Isaiah 39:7: And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. This prophecy leads some to think Daniel and his companions were made eunuchs. Certainly, the Hebrew term saris was used of literal eunuchs; but the word derives from a phrase that simply means to be a servant of the king. It wasn't exclusively applied to literal eunuchs.

ii. Why did the LORD give Judah into the hands of the Babylonians? The two main reasons for the captivity were Israel's idolatry, and their failure to observe the sabbaths for the land (Leviticus 25:1-7 and 26:2-35). This shows that God always settles accounts with those who refuse to respond to His warnings. In the 587 B.C. invasion, the city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed (2 Kings 25:9-10).

g. Some of the articles of the house of God: Nebuchadnezzar did not take all the furnishings of the temple, only some. The rest were either hidden before Nebuchadnezzar came or brought to Babylon later.

i. The confiscation of these items and their deposit in a Babylonian temple was a dramatic declaration by Nebuchadnezzar saying, "my god is better than your God." Was the God of Israel able to vindicate Himself?

ii. This was a low time for Judah and God's people. It seemed that the God of Israel lost out to the gods of Assyria, Egypt, and Babylon. The Book of Daniel shows God vindicating Himself at a time when the conquest of Israel might have brought His reputation into disrepute.

B. Babylon's system of indoctrination.

1. (3-4) The best and the brightest of Jerusalem's young men are chosen and taken to Babylon.

Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

a. Bring some of the children of Israel: Nebuchadnezzar not only confiscated holy things from the temple, but the shining lights of Judah's future as well (young men perhaps 13-17 years old).

i. Walvoord on the phrase king's descendants: "The Hebrew for the princes is a Persian word, partemim, which is cited as another proof for a late date of Daniel. However, inasmuch as Daniel lived in his latter years under Persian government as a high official, there is nothing strange about an occasional Persian word."

b. Who had the ability to serve in the king's palace: Nebuchadnezzar showed himself a wise administrator, and a shrewd tactician. Taking these young men as hostages reminded the people back in Jerusalem that they should not revolt against recently imposed Babylonian rule.

2. (5-7) In Babylon, the Hebrew youths are groomed for the civil service.

And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

a. The king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies: It was a given that the Babylonian government would provide for these young men in training. Yet, to have the same food and wine prepared for the king was intended as a special honor.

i. In the ancient world much more than the modern world, there was a huge difference between the food enjoyed by the elite and what common people ate.

b. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: Daniel tells us of four of these youths, and their new Babylonian names.

i. The name Daniel (meaning God is my judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel's prince).

ii. The name Hannaniah (meaning Beloved by the LORD) was changed to Shadrach (meaning Illumined by Sun-god).

iii. The name Mishael (meaning Who is as God) was changed to Meshach (meaning Who is like Venus).

iv. The name Azariah (meaning The LORD is my help) was changed to Abed-Nego (meaning Servant of Nego).

c. Three years of training for them: The purpose of the food, names and education was simple. This was an effort at total indoctrination, working to make these young Jewish men leave behind their Hebrew God and culture. Undoubtedly, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to communicate to these young men, "look to me for everything." Daniel and his friends refused, insisting that they look to God.

i. Calvin wrote that Nebuchadnezzar knew that the Jews were a stiff-necked and obstinate people, and that he used the sumptuous food to soften up the captives.

ii. Satan uses a similar strategy against believers today, wanting to indoctrinate us into the world system. Satan wants us to:

- Feed on what the world offers
- Identify ("name") ourselves in reference to the world
- Educate ourselves in the ways of the world
3. (8) Daniel's decision to be faithful.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

a. That he would not defile himself: The ancient Hebrew word defile carries the thought of polluting orstaining (see also Isaiah 59:3, Zephaniah 3:1, and Malachi 1:7). That Daniel requested that he might not defile himself implies that he explained the spiritual basis for his request. He didn't make it seem that he wanted to avoid the king's food out of other reasons.

i. Therefore he requested: Isn't Daniel making a big deal over a little thing? Yes, but the only way to go on with God is by being faithful in little things. We might ask, "Daniel, why bring religion into it?" But Daniel realized that his relationship with God touched every area of his life, even what he ate. Significantly, the very root of sin goes back to eating forbidden food.

b. That he might not defile himself: Why did Daniel and his friends consider the king's food defiled? First, it undoubtedly was not kosher. Second, it was probably sacrificed to idols. Third, it implied fellowship with Babylon's cultural system.

i. Daniel did not object to the name given to him, because he knew whom he was - you could call him what you liked. Daniel did not object to the Babylonian education, because he knew what he believed. Daniel did object to the food from the king's table, because it to eat it was direct disobedience to God's word.

ii. "By eastern standards to share a meal was to commit one's self to friendship; it was of covenant significance." (Baldwin)

iii. Nor with the wine which he drank: God did not forbid drinking wine. Nevertheless, in pagan cultures most wine and meat was dedicated to the gods, so Daniel refused it.

c. Therefore he requested: Daniel made a remarkably courageous decision, especially when we think of all the reasons why it was a hard decision to make.

i. The king ordered the menu. Rejecting the menu was rejecting the king, and could result in severe punishment.

ii. Refusing the food might have branded them as being uncooperative, and spoiled all chances of advancement (many other Hebrew youths did eat the food).

iii. There was a real threat of punishment. Ancient kings were well known for the severe and often sadistic punishments against those who crossed them. Nebuchadnezzar was capable of great cruelty. He murdered the sons of one king of Judah before the king's eyes; then immediately gouged out the eyes of the king, so his last memory would always be the murder of his sons (Jeremiah 39:6-7). Other rulers of Judah were literally roasted to death over a fire (Jeremiah 29:22).

iv. The food itself was no doubt pretty attractive, and seemed a much better alternative than eating a vegetarian diet and water for three years.

v. Mere distance made this challenging. Separated from family and home, it was easy to compromise.

vi. It was easy to think that God had let them down by allowing them to be carried away into Babylon. Why should they risk their necks for a God who let them down? Many Christians have a mentality that says, "God, you do right by me, and I'll do right by you." Of course, God will always do right by us; but we don't always know what is right for us.

d. Daniel purposed in his heart: In this, Daniel illustrates how to conquer a difficult trial and glorify God before others in the midst of testing.

i. First, the heart must be set. Daniel purposed in his heart, making up his mind beforehand that he would not compromise.

ii. The life must be winning. Daniel found favor with his superiors.

iii. Protest must be courteous - Daniel requested. He made a polite request, showing discretion. Making a stand for Jesus Christ does not mean we must be obnoxious.

iv. Self-denial must be sought. Daniel and his friends knew this would cost them something, yet they were willing. "Be ready for a bad name; be willing to be called a bigot; be prepared for the loss of friendships; be prepared for anything so long as you can stand fast by Him who bought you with His precious blood." (Spurgeon)

v. The test must be boldly put. "I think that a Christian man should be willing to be tried; he should be pleased to let his religion be put to the test. 'There,' says he, 'hammer away if you like.' Do you want to be carried to heaven on a feather bed? Do you want always to be protected from everybody's sneer and frown; and to go to heaven as if you were riding in the procession on Lord Mayor's day?" (Spurgeon)

C. The results of Daniel's courageous decision.

1. (9) God gives Daniel favor and goodwill with the authorities.

Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.

a. God had brought Daniel into the favor: God will never abandon us when we stand for Him. Daniel entrusted himself to God, and God came through - though it was no doubt a stretching experience for Daniel and his friends.

b. Into the favor and goodwill of the chief: God moved upon the authorities so they would regard Daniel with goodwill; but God also worked through the wise actions of Daniel to cultivate this goodwill.

2. (10-13) Daniel suggests a plan.

And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king." So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. "Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants."

a. Please test your servants: Daniel saw the situation through the steward's eyes, and addressed his legitimate concerns. He wouldn't let the chief of the eunuchs pay the price for Daniel's conscience. In it all, Daniel was willing to put himself and his faith in God to the test.

i. There is something so reasonable about Daniel's approach. He could have gone on a hunger strike; he could have started throwing over banquet tables. Instead he made a polite request, made it to the right person and said, "Put us to the test."

ii. In this sense we might say that Daniel made a godly and wise compromise with the chief of the eunuchs. He certainly did not compromise in an ungodly way, but he showed the wisdom James 3:17 speaks about: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

iii. "Martyrs by proxy, who have such strong convictions that they think it somebody else's duty to run risk for them, are by no means unknown." (Maclaren)

iv. "It is of no use for a man to say, 'I have made up my mind upon certain things,' and to keep doggedly fighting over those matters, while, at the same time, the whole of his life is unkind, ungenerous, and unlovable. Yes, by all manner of means be a martyr if you like; but do not martyr everybody else." (Spurgeon)

b. Vegetables to eat and water to drink: Vegetables refers to all kinds of grains and plants, not strictly vegetables. Basically, this was a vegetarian diet, chosen because none of the meat was butchered in a kosher manner or was sacrificed to idols.

i. Was Daniel presumptuous or testing God when he put God to the test? Not at all, because he had both a command to obey and a promise to trust. Exodus 23:25 says, So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water.

3. (14-16) Daniel and his companions are blessed for their faithfulness.

So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

a. So he consented with them in this matter: This was the hand of God at work. The chief of the eunuchs had all the "power" in this situation; Daniel and his friends seemed to be completely at his mercy. Yet God moved upon this man, and he consented with them in this matter.

b. Their features appeared better and fatter: This was the hand of God at work. There was no biological reason why a vegetarian diet should make them appear better and fatter. Perhaps their diet would have made them appear the same as the other Jewish young men who ate the king's food, but not better and fatter.

4. (17-21) Daniel and his companions are blessed and promoted.

As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

a. God gave them knowledge and skill: The special intellectual ability of Daniel and his companions was not due to their diet, but to the special intervention of the LORD.

i. Some think their diet had a direct effect on their knowledge. Trapp says, "This slender diet was some help to their studies; for loaden bellies make leaden wits." Nevertheless, surely the key was spiritual.

ii. These young Jewish men gave themselves to the LORD in a remarkable way and God blessed them in a remarkable way. J. Edwin Orr remembered something Billy Brice said to him: "Edwin, if Christians would only give over and above their reasonable service, the Lord would give over and above the usual blessing." Daniel and his friends understood this principle, and God blessed them for acting on it.

b. Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams: This shows that purity of heart and faithfulness to God come before enlightenment in divine mysteries. Daniel will later receive great revelation, but now he simply shows himself a dedicated follower of God.

c. None was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: These young men from Jerusalem were immersed in the study of Babylonian culture, literature and religion; yet they remained faithful to God. The work of the prophets like Jeremiah, Zephaniah and Habakkuk had not been in vain. They were in Babylon, but not of Babylon.

i. We can infer that Daniel and his friends were well trained by their parents. We must train our children this way.

d. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus: Daniel had a long, successful career in the worst of circumstances. He worked for tyrants who thought nothing of killing their staff and advisors, much less firing them. His employer suffered the worst kind of hostile takeover when the Medo-Persian Empire conquered the Babylonian Empire. The seeds of his great success are evident in the very first chapter of the Book of Daniel.

i. Daniel and his friends show us that inner conviction can overcome any outer pressure, and that God-honoring convictions yield God-given rewards

 

Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of an Image
A. Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

1. (1) The troubling dream.

Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.

a. In the second year: Some commentators say this happened while Daniel was in his three-year training course; others say that it was soon after he was finished.

i. By Babylonian reckoning, the year 602 B.C. could be both the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign and after three years of training for the Hebrew youths.

b. His spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him: There was something disturbing about this dream and Nebuchadnezzar knew that it was unusually significant.

2. (2-9) Nebuchadnezzar demands to know the dream and its interpretation from his wise men.

Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream." Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation." The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation." They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation." The king answered and said, "I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation."

a. Make known the dream to me: It is hard to say if Nebuchadnezzar really remembered the dream or not. Perhaps he had a sense of it, but had only vague remembrance of the details.

b. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation: Nebuchadnezzar had no criteria by which to judge the accuracy of the interpretation of the dream by his wise men, but he could test their ability to tell what he dreamed.

i. Despite their protests, Nebuchadnezzar wasn't asking too much of these magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. These men made their living on their supposed ability to contact the gods and gain secrets from the spirit realm. If they were in reality what they presented themselves as in image, they should be able to tell Nebuchadnezzar both the dream and its interpretation.

c. You shall be cut in pieces: The harsh threat of Nebuchadnezzar and the method of execution he describes are both perfectly consistent with an ancient eastern monarch.

i. Archer describes one method of dismemberment: the victim was tied to four trees with a rope at each limb. The trees were bent inwards and tied together at the top; then the top rope was cut and the body was snapped into four pieces.

d. The Chaldeans: In this verse we have the first mention of Chaldeans as a class of soothsayers to the king. Critics cite the use of this word as a mistake that only a second century B.C. writer would make. Critics suppose that in Daniel's day, the term Chaldean was only used as a racial designation, describing what the Chaldeans thought was the "master race" who ruled Nebuchadnezzar's superpower empire.

i. But linguistic research has demonstrated that the Babylonian word for an astrologer-priest, and their word for their supposed master race were homonyms, both having the sound Chaldean (kas-du in Babylonian), but each retaining their own meaning. This is the same way that the English sound tu can mean to, two, or too.

ii. Daniel's understanding of this is clear from the text, because he also uses the term Chaldean in its racial sense (Daniel 3:8 and 5:30).

e. From Daniel 2:4 to 7:28, the text is in Aramaic - not Hebrew. This is the only section of the Bible written in Aramaic. This was the language of the Babylonian Empire.

3. (10-11) The wise men explain the impossibility of Nebuchadnezzar's request.

The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

a. There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter: When the Chaldeans say this they admit that true revelation comes from God down to man; it is not the achievement of man.

i. Despite all their wisdom - real and imagined - these wise men had no answer for Nebuchadnezzar, because only God could bring and answer to the king.

ii. "They were like some modern ministers of our own day who spend their time studying philosophy, psychiatry, psychology, social science, political science, and then continue under the pretense of being God's messengers to men." (Strauss)

b. No king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things: The strategy of the wise men was to convince the king that he was unreasonable, not that they were incompetent.

c. Except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh: As far as these pagan magicians, astrologers, and wise men knew, this was true. They did not know what we know so plainly in Jesus - that He is Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23).

4. (12-13) A furious Nebuchadnezzar sentences all his wise men to death.

For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

a. The king was angry and very furious: Though he was a despot, Nebuchadnezzar knew that false religious is worse than useless. He knew that it was a curse, and he didn't want "wise men" who could not bring him wisdom from God.

b. Gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon: As a new king, Nebuchadnezzar also perhaps used the situation to test the suitability of his father's old advisors. The dream provided him with a good reason to clean house.

B. God reveals the dream to Daniel.

1. (14-16) Daniel reacts to Nebuchadnezzar's decree by asking for a brief extension.

Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, "Why is the decree from the king so urgent?" Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation.

a. With counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch: Daniel is obviously innocent in all this, yet he calmly and discretely deals with the crisis. Daniel's calmness in this crisis showed what kind of man he really was. In one sense, crises do not make the man, they reveal the man.

b. Asked the king to give him time: This wasn't just a stalling tactic. Daniel knew that it takes time to listen to the Lord and to wait upon Him, and Daniel was willing to take the time if the king would grant it.

2. (17-18) Daniel asks his companions for prayer.

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

a. That they might seek mercies from the God of heaven: Daniel was in the type of situation where only God could meet his need. Therefore he knew how important it was for both him and his companions to pray.

i. The battle was won when Daniel prayed with his friends. "It is a privilege to have praying friends" (Barnes); "In prayer meetings such as this history has been made." (Strauss)

b. Concerning this secret: Daniel had confidence that God could do an unprecedented miracle. Joseph had interpreted dreams with God's help, but had not reconstructed the dreams.

c. Might not perish: Considering what was at stake, there is little doubt that their prayers were extremely earnest. God listens to earnest prayer.

3. (19) God reveals Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation to Daniel.

Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

a. The secret was revealed to Daniel: This was not religion, but revelation. Daniel did not find it out, God revealed it to him.

i. Christianity begins with the principle of revelation. What we know about God is what He has revealed to us. We do actively seek Him, but we seek what He has revealed. Our job isn't to figure things out about God, but to understand what He has revealed to us.

b. In a night vision: We don't know exactly what this is. It may have been a dream, or a supernatural vision that happened at night.

4. (20-23) Daniel praises God for this revelation.

Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king's demand."

a. He changes … He removes … He knows: Daniel praises God for His power and might. Daniel thinks of how God is in command of all things, and how God is mightier than a mighty king like Nebuchadnezzar.

b. He gives … He reveals: Daniel praises God for His communication to man. All God's power and might were of little help to Daniel if God stayed silent. Daniel is grateful that God has revealed His great knowledge.

c. You have given … You have made known to us: Daniel had the certainty of faith to believe that God gave him the answer, even before confirming it before Nebuchadnezzar yet.

i. Our level of faith is often indicated by how long it takes us to start praising God. If we won't praise Him until the answer is in hand, then we don't have much faith. Greater faith is able to praise God when the promise is given and received.

C. The dream of Nebuchadnezzar and its interpretation.

1. (24-30) Daniel is ushered into the king's presence, and gives glory to God for revealing the dream.

Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation." Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation." The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?" Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

a. I have a found a man: Arioch tries to glorify himself and Daniel for the answer to the king's dream. But Daniel refused to take credit, recognizing that the credit went to God, who revealed this dream to Daniel.

b. What will be in the latter days: Nebuchadnezzar's dream didn't just concern himself for his kingdom, but the whole span of the future - which was to Nebuchadnezzar the latter days.

2. (31-35) Daniel describes Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

"You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."

a. Behold, a great image: Daniel's description is clear. This is a massive and spectacular image made of different materials (fine gold … silver … bronze... iron … partly of iron and partly of clay).

i. The materials descended in value from top to bottom, with gold at the top and iron mixed with clay at the bottom.

b. Broke them in pieces: This spectacular image is destroyed by a stone made without hands, and what remains of it is blown away like worthless chaff, while the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

3. (36-45) The interpretation of the dream.

"This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all; you are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

a. Now we will tell the interpretation: Daniel first accurately reported the content of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. This gave Daniel credibility when explaining what the dream meant, the interpretation.

b. You are the head of gold: Nebuchadnezzar is clearly said to be the head of gold. After him will come three other kingdoms, each represented by the different materials Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. After the succession of kingdoms, then the final kingdom set up by God.

i. "Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom was likened unto gold because it was an absolute monarchy, God's ideal government. Nebuchadnezzar was not, however, God's ideal monarch!" (Talbot)

c. The fulfillment of this prophecy in history.

i. Three dominating empires came after Babylon: Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The nature of these empires is accurately reflected by the nature of the image Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.

ii. The empires succeeding Babylon were inferior to Nebuchadnezzar's head of gold in the sense of their centralization of absolute power. Nebuchadnezzar was an absolute monarch, the succeeding empires progressively less so. They were larger and lasted longer than Babylon, but none held as much centralized power as Nebuchadnezzar did.

iii. "Babylon, the head of gold, was an absolute autocracy. Persia, a monarchial oligarchy with the nobles equal to the king in all but office, is represented by silver. Greece is set forth by brass, indicated the still lower value of it aristocracy of mind and influence … Rome, a democratic imperialism, with military dominion dependent upon the choice of army and citizenry and administered in the spirit of martial law, is set forth by iron." (Newell)

iv. The third kingdom, of bronze, is the one which shall rule over the whole earth. Indeed, Alexander's Grecian Empire was the largest among those compared in the image (except the final government of the Messiah).

v. The Babylonian Empire stood for 66 years; the Medo-Persian Empire for 208 years; the Grecian Empire for 185 years, and the Roman Empire stood for more than 500 years.

vi. Liberal commentators do not believe that the fourth kingdom is Rome, but they say it is Greece, and that the second and third kingdoms are Media and Persia respectively, instead of the Medo-Persian Empire as a whole. They interpret this way because they believe it was impossible for Daniel to predict the rise of these empires.

d. In the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: This describes the fulfillment of this prophecy in the future. The stone cut without hands shatters a confederation of kings, represented by the feet of the image, and then God's Kingdom dominates the earth.

i. Since Roman history provides no fulfillment of this federation of kings (which seems to number ten, because of the number of toes, and passages like Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12) this prophecy must still be future.

ii. Since the fall of the Roman Empire, there has never been a world-dominating empire equal to Rome. Many have tried - the Huns, Islam, the so-called Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin - but none have succeeded. Each of these had amazing power and influence, but nothing compared to that of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire, in some form or another, will be revived under the leadership of the final fallen dictator, the Antichrist.

iii. It broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold: This describes a single, decisive event that shatters the image representing the glory of man's rule on earth. Since the Church or the gospel have not, in a single decisive event, shattered the reign of human kingdoms, this event is still in the future.

iv. This isn't the gradual salvation of the world by the church; "Smashing is not salvation. Crushing is not conversion. Destroying is not delivering nor is pulverizing the same as purification." (Heslop)

v. This stone cut without hands is the Messiah, not the Church. Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16, and Zechariah 3:9 also refer to Jesus as a stone.

vi. Therefore, the final superpower of the world is thought to be a "revival" of the Roman Empire, a continuation of the image. This will be the final world empire that the returning Jesus will conquer over.

e. The kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile: This final world empire will be according to the nature of clay mixed with iron. It will have more the image of true strength than the substance of strength.

i. As a whole, the image accurately represents human power and empire. The image seems invincible, but is actually unstable at its base. No wonder one blow to the foundation can topple the whole thing!

ii. It's also significant to see that the image describes devolution, not evolution. Instead of man beginning in the dust and evolving into gold, this vision declares that man's dominion begins with gold and devalues into dust.

iii. Some 40 years from this, Daniel had a vision describing the same succession of empires. Daniel saw it from God's perspective, and Nebuchadnezzar saw it from man's perspective. Nebuchadnezzar saw these empires as an impressive image; Daniel saw them as fierce beasts.

f. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure: This wasn't Daniel guessing or thinking - this was God announcing the future. The only reason that God can predict history is because he can control it.

4. (46-49) Nebuchadnezzar's reaction to Daniel's reporting of the dream and its interpretation.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret." Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

a. Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face: This great king was obviously impressed. He wasn't in the custom of showing such respect to anyone, especially a foreign slave who was about to be executed with the rest of the wise men. This confirms that Daniel accurately reported the dream and skillfully explained its meaning.

b. Your God is the God of gods: Nebuchadnezzar knew that it wasn't Daniel himself that revealed these things, but Daniel's God revealed it through Daniel. Daniel wanted the glory to go to God, and it did.

c. The king promoted Daniel: Daniel not only had his life spared, but he was promoted to high office - and he made sure his friends were also promoted. It was fitting that Daniel's friends got to share in his advancement, because they accomplished much of the victory through their prayers.

 

Saved In the Fiery Furnace
A. Nebuchadnezzar erects an image and demands everyone worship it.

1. (1) The image is made and set up.

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

a. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold: There is considerable debate regarding when this happened. Some think it was a short time after the events of Daniel 2, but others think it happened many years later.

i. There is a discernible link between Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2 and the image he made in Daniel 3. It seems that Nebuchadnezzar deliberately made an entire statue of gold, saying that the day of his reign and authority would never end - in contradiction to God's declared plan.

b. An image of gold: The image was more like a stylized obelisk than a normal statue, being 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. Being so large, it is safe to say that it was not made of solid gold but probably wood overlaid with gold. This was a common method of construction in the ancient world.

i. "On the plains of Dura there stands today, a rectilinear mound, about twenty feet high, an exact square of about forty-six feet at the base, resembling the pedestal of a colossal statue." (Heslop)

2. (2-3) All Babylonia's dignitaries gathered at the dedication of the image.

And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

a. Gather together the satraps: Satrap is a Persian loan word that means "protector of the realm." It refers to a specific category of public officials.

b. All the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image: The demand that all come to the dedication ceremony means that Nebuchadnezzar meant to use the worship of this image as a test of allegiance.

3. (4-6) The command to worship the image.

Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."

a. Horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery: Some of the musical instruments are difficult to define precisely but the idea is clear. This was an impressive orchestra.

i. The use of the Aramaic words for lyre, psaltery and symphony has led some critics to say that the book of Daniel was written hundreds of years after the time of Daniel. They say this because these particular words are Aramaic words borrowed from Greek words and supposedly Daniel did not have had these words at his disposal in the sixth century B.C. and they supposedly did not come into the Hebrew vocabulary until the third century B.C.

ii. Nevertheless, ancient records tell us there were Greeks in the region of Assyria, Babylon and Persia as far back as the eighth century B.C. Archaeology also proves beyond a doubt that Greek mercenaries fought and made military settlements in and around Judea before the time of Daniel.

b. Whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace: The command is empowered by a naked threat. Nebuchadnezzar regarded refusing to worship the image as treason, not only as a religious offense.

i. In this, Nebuchadnezzar is just like most politicians, who often seem willing to use religion to strengthen their grip on political power. Politicians are happy to blend together spiritual allegiance and national allegiance. An example of this was displayed in 1936 when Herr Baldur von Schirach, head of the youth program in Nazi Germany, said: "If we act as true Germans we act according to the laws of God. Whoever serves Adolf Hitler, the fuehrer, serves Germany, and whoever serves Germany serves God."

ii. Another example comes from 1960 when the President of Ghana had a slightly larger than life-size statue of himself erected in front of the national house of Parliament. An inscription on the side of the statue read, "Seek ye first the political kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you." The statue was destroyed after a bloodless coup in 1966.

c. A burning fiery furnace: Nebuchadnezzar was not a man who allowed lawbreakers to go unpunished. In a cuneiform writing, Nebuchadnezzar is described as so devoted to justice that "he did not rest night or day." The document also tells of a criminal guilty of a second offense who was decapitated and afterwards a stone image of his head was displayed as a warning.

4. (7) The crowd obeys Nebuchadnezzar's command.

So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

a. When all the people heard the sound: Nebuchadnezzar's grand idolatry was accompanied by music - elaborate and well-produced music. This reminds us of the great inherent power in music, both for good and for evil.

b. Fell down and worshiped the gold image: According to Baldwin, this literally reads as soon as they were hearing they were falling down. There was total and immediate obedience to Nebuchadnezzar's command!

B. Three Hebrew men refuse the demand.

1. (8-12) Certain Chaldeans accuse the three Hebrew men.

Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up."

a. Certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews: These Chaldeans had an obvious political motivation against these Jews who were promoted to high office along with Daniel in the events recorded in the previous chapter.

b. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image: Apparently their failure to worship the image was not discovered until these certain Chaldeans made it known. With so many thousands of government officials in attendance, it would be easy to overlook these three. Additionally, we see from this that the three Jewish men did not lodge a formal protest; they simply refrained from sharing in the sin of idolatry themselves.

i. Though their actions were not public, neither were they hidden. These three Hebrew men must have known they would be discovered, yet they obeyed God rather than man. "You will not be able to go through life without being discovered: a lighted candle cannot be hid. There is a feeling among some good people that it will be wise to be very reticent, and hide their light under a bushel. They intend to lie low all the war time, and come out when the palms are being distributed. They hope to travel to heaven by the back lanes, and skulk into glory in disguise. Ah me, what a degenerate set!" (Spurgeon)

2. (13-15) Nebuchadnezzar interviews the disobedient Hebrew men.

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"

a. Is it true: To his credit, Nebuchadnezzar did not accept the accusation on hearsay. He made sure of it with a personal interview. This was an even greater test for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. It is one thing to make a stand for God; it is a greater thing to stick to your stand when pointedly asked, "Is it true?" Peter could follow Jesus after His arrest, but he wilted and denied Jesus when asked, "Is it true?"

i. "If, standing before the heart-searching God at this time, you cannot say, 'It is true,' how should you act? If you cannot say that you take Christ's cross, and are willing to follow him at all hazards, then hearken to me and learn the truth. Do not make a profession at all. Do not talk about baptism or the Lord's Supper, nor of joining a church, nor of being a Christian; for if you do, you will lie against your own soul. If it be not true that you renounce the world's idols, do not profess that it is so. It is unnecessary that a man should profess to be what he is not; it is a sin of supererogation, a superfluity of naughtiness. If you cannot be true to Christ, if your coward heart is recreant to your Lord, do not profess to be his disciple, I beseech you. He that is married to the world, or flinthearted, had better return to his house, for he is of no service in this war." (Spurgeon)

b. But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace: Nebuchadnezzar would not tolerate losing face on such an important occasion. His pride made him declare, "You shall have no other gods than me."

i. We can imagine the enormous pressure on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego to compromise. Everything in front of them - the king, the furnace, the music, their compatriots, their competitors - all of it conspired to convince them to compromise. Yet God was more real to them than any of those things. "Do not judge the situation by the king's threat and by the heat of the burning fiery furnace, but by the everlasting God and the eternal life which awaits you. Let not flute, harp, and sackbut fascinate you, but hearken to the music of the glorified. Men frown at you, but you can see God smiling on you, and so you are not moved." (Spurgeon)

c. Who is the god who will deliver you from my hands? Nebuchadnezzar thinks nothing of insulting all gods with this statement. He is more of a secularist or a humanist than a theist. The god he really believes in is himself, not the gods of Babylon.

3. (16-18) The three Hebrew men insist they will never worship the image.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

a. We have no need to answer you: They had no need to defend themselves. Their guilt in the matter was clear - they clearly would not bow down to this image.

b. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us: In this, the Jewish men show they have a good understanding and appreciation of God's great power. In fact, they know that God is able to save them from both the burning fiery furnace and from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar himself.

c. But if not: In this, the Jewish men show they have a good understanding and appreciation of submission to God. They know God's power, but they also know that they must do what is right even if God does not do what they expect or hope Him to do.

i. We often whine about our "rights" and what is "fair." Often it is better to make a stand and take your lumps, leaving your fate in God's hands.

ii. They did not doubt God's ability but neither did they presume to know God's will. In this they agreed with Job: Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15). They recognized that God's plan might be different than their desires. I have my own desires and dreams and I pray that God fulfills them. But if He doesn't, I can't turn my back on Him.

iii. These were men who did not love too much. There are popular self-help books that hope to help people who seem to love too much, yet many Christians are hindered because they love too much. Remember that early Christians were not thrown to the lions because they worshipped Jesus, but because they would not worship the emperor.

iv. In our day, many do love Jesus and think highly of Him - yet they are far from God because they also love and worship the world, sin, and self. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)

d. Let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up: It took great faith to say this. God brought them to this place of great faith by preparing them with tests in less dramatic areas.

i. These men stood firm when challenged to eat impure foods and they saw God bless their obedience. That gave them the courage to obey now, when the stakes were much higher.

ii. Are you waiting for something "big" before you really start to obey God? Is your life filled with many small compromises, yet you tell yourself that you will stand firm when it "really" matters? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego show us that "small" things really matter,

e. The statement of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego is also remarkable for what it does not have - any hint of an excuse. In a time of testing like this it is easy to think of a thousand excuses that seem to justify compromise.

i. They might have said, "There is nothing to gain by resisting; wouldn't we do more good by living?" It is easy to say, "we must live," but in reality, we all must die - so why not die making a stand for God?

ii. They might have said, "We are in a different place; in Rome, do as the Romans do." Yet they knew that God has unlimited jurisdiction. We must do more than "perform" acts of religious obedience when we have an audience.

iii. They might have said, "We will lose our jobs and our standard of living." Often when God blesses us we make the blessing an idol and compromise God to keep what we have.

iv. They might have said, "After all, we are not being called to renounce our God." They did not have a super-elastic conscience that said "we are not bowing down to the idol, but in respect for the king, or to the music." Excuses like this are common but prove the principle that anything will serve as an excuse, when the heart is bent on compromise.

v. They might have said, "Everybody else is doing it." Instead they cultivated brave personalities, willing to stand alone with God

vi. They might have said, "It is only for once, and not for very long. Ten minutes, just for the king. It is stupid to throw our lives away for ten minutes." These men knew that ten minutes could change an entire life. Ten minutes can chart the course for your eternity.

vii. They might have said, "This is more than can be expected of us; God will understand just this once." It is true that God understands our struggle with sin - that is why He loves the sinner and made provision at the cross for freedom from the penalty, power, and presence of sin. Knowing that "God understands" should be a spur to obedience, not a license to sin.

viii. "I am glad that the three holy children were not 'careful to answer,' [the KJV has, "we are not careful to answer thee" here] or they might have fallen upon some crooked policy or lame excuse for compromise. What have we to do with consequences? It is ours to do the right, and leave results with the Lord." (Spurgeon)

C. The Hebrew men in the fiery furnace.

1. (19-23) The three men are cast violently into the furnace.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

a. Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury: No matter how brave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were, this still must have been extremely intimidating. We get the feeling that prior to their statement he spoke kindly, almost in a fatherly manner to these "wayward boys." After hearing their bold challenge the expression on his face changed.

i. Despite the intense intimidation, the men stayed courageous in their confession of faith. Spurgeon eloquently described the horror of those who lose their courage at such times: "Remember also that by yielding to the fear of man you are demeaning yourself. There shall come a day when the man that was ashamed of Christ will himself be ashamed: he will wonder where he can hide his guilty head. Look at him! There he is! The traitor who denied his Lord! The Christ was spat upon and nailed to the cross, and this man was afraid to own him. To win the smile of a silly maid, to escape the jest of a coarse fellow, to win a few pieces of silver, to stand respectable among his fellow-men, he turned his back upon his Redeemer and sold his Lord; and now what can be said for him? Who can excuse him? The angels shun him as a man who was ashamed of the Lord of glory. He is clothed with shame and everlasting contempt. Even the lost in hell get away from him, for many of them were more honest than he. Is there such a man as this before me? I summon him in the name of the living God to answer for his cowardice! Let him come forth and own his crime, and humbly seek forgiveness at the hands of the gracious Savior." (Spurgeon)

b. Bound in their coats … the furnace exceedingly hot: Everything was done to make sure that the three Hebrew men were quickly and completely burned.

2. (24-25) Nebuchadnezzar sees four alive and well in the furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

a. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished: It is astonishing that anyone survived for a moment inside the furnace when others perished at the door.

i. The Septuagint says in Daniel 3:24 that Nebuchadnezzar's attention was caught when he heard them singing praises in the furnace. We can imagine that the king had them cast into the furnace and didn't intend to look twice, believing they would be immediately consumed. As he walks away with a satisfied look on his face, he is immediately stopped by the sound of singing coming from the furnace. At a safe distance from the raging heat he peers inside - and sees four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire.

ii. If this singing in the furnace is true, it reminds us of Paul and Silas singing in the Philippian jail (Acts 16:25).

b. I see four men loose … and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God: Nebuchadnezzar tells us who the fourth was - the Son of God. Jesus was literally with them in the worst of their trial.

i. We don't know if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego knew that the Son of God was with them in their fiery trial. Sometimes we are aware of Jesus' presence in our trials and sometimes we are not - but He is there nonetheless.

ii. Spurgeon observed that God's people are often in the furnace, and though there are different kinds of furnaces they serve similar purposes in our life

- There is the furnace that men prepare
- There is the furnace that Satan prepares
- There is the furnace that God prepares
iii. God can deliver us from a trial, or He can miraculously sustain and strengthen us in a trial. Trapp quotes an English martyr who said this as he was burnt at the stake: "O ye Papists, behold ye look for miracles; here now you may see a miracle; for in this fire I feel no more pain than as if I were in a bed of down; but it is to me as a bed of roses."

c. I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire: Nebuchadnezzar also observed that the four men were free in the fire. The fire only burnt the ropes that bound them.

3. (26-27) The Hebrew men leave the furnace unharmed.

Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

a. Servants of the Most High God: Before they are out of the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar recognizes that these men serve the true God, the God Most High.

b. These men on whose bodies the fire had no power: The trial had no power over these men because they were thoroughly submitted to the power and will of God. Even before the time of Jesus they knew the truth of Jesus promise: In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

c. The smell of fire was not on them: This demonstrates how complete their deliverance was.

i. This whole account illustrates - perhaps serving as a type - of the future of Israel during the Great Tribulation.

- Nebuchadnezzar is like the Antichrist, who forces the whole world into one religion of idolatry
- Nebuchadnezzar's image is like the image described in Revelation 13, that the whole world will be commanded to worship
- The fiery furnace is like the Great Tribulation, which will be great affliction for the Jews
- The three Hebrew men are like Israel, who will be preserved through the tribulation
- The executioners who perished are like those in league with the Antichrist, who Jesus will slay at His return
- The mysteriously absent Daniel is like the church, not even present for this time of great tribulation
D. Aftermath.

1. (28) Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the greatness of the God of the three Hebrews.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!

a. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego: Nebuchadnezzar gives glory to God, but he recognizes that this great God is not his God. He is still the God of these three brave men.

b. Who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him: In Daniel 3:15 Nebuchadnezzar asked, "who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?" Now he knows:

- He is the God of the Hebrews (the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego)
- He is the God who sends a Savior (who sent His Angel)
- He is the God of great power (delivered His servants)
- He is the God worthy of trust (who trusted in Him)
- He is the God worthy of full surrender (frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies)
- He is the God who demands exclusive allegiance (that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God)
i. Nebuchadnezzar knows a lot about God - but he does not yet know Him personally.

c. Yielded their bodies: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego surrendered themselves completely to God - body, soul, and spirit. It was the kind of submission Paul wrote of in Romans 12:1: present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

i. This whole account is a powerful illustration of the principle of Romans 12:1. We see Satan trying to make the believer bow down to his idealized image of what men and women should be. Christians must resist this with everything they have and pursue God's ideal. In this, we will fulfill Romans 12:2: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2. (29) Nebuchadnezzar makes a proclamation that nothing evil should be said against the God of the Hebrews.

"Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this." Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

a. Therefore I make a decree: The three Hebrew men did not ask for Nebuchadnezzar to make this decree, and they probably did not want him to. Coerced worship isn't good, either towards an idol or towards the true God.

b. There is no other God who can deliver like this: Seeing God at work in the life of His people was an extremely effective testimony to Nebuchadnezzar.

i. Paul expressed the same idea in 2 Corinthians 3:2-3: You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

 

Study Notes: Daniel 4:1-37

Review
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had seen some amazing things done in the name of God. Daniel had miraculously told him what he had dreamed, and then gave the prophetic interpretation. At that time, the king had said,
Dan. 2:47 ...“Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
But Nebuchadnezzar did not become a believer in the true and living God just yet. Instead, he mandated idolatry - demanding that everyone bow down to a huge golden image he had constructed. When Daniel's three friends, Shad-RAK, May-SHAK, and Ab-ADE Neg-O refused to worship it, they were cast into a firey furnace. But again, the king saw a miracle take place when he saw a fourth person in the furnace with them, and none of them were burned up. Again, he recognized God's hand in this, proclaiming,
Dan. 3:28 ...“Blessed be the God of Shad-RAK, May-SHAK, and Ab-ADE Neg-O, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him..."
You'd think that by now, he would have learned his lesson. But unfortunately, he has not. Tonight, we look at chapter four of the book of Daniel. A chapter that is the first of its kind in the Scriptures, in that it is a narrative written by a Gentile king. It is a testimony from a truly unlikely convert.

4:1-3 A Note From Nebuchadnezzar
This was a press release, an open letter, sent around the entirety of the kingdom of Babylon. It was sent by the most prominent human being on the earth at that time - Nebuchadnezzar.
He was the dictator of the day - a ruler known by everyone in the earth. All of the historians from that era write of him - Berosus, in the third book of his Chaldaic History; Megasthenes, in his fourth book of his Accounts of India; Diocles, in the second book of his Accounts of Persia; and Philostrates in his Accounts (source: Josephus).
This king had come to the point where he could no longer ignore the miraculous intervention of God in his life. He had to acknowledge it personally, and make it known publicly.
It is so great when people come to Christ and let everyone around them know. It is also greatly unfortunate that not everyone does.
It seems that many people feel ashamed about their faith. They remember how they thought Christians were idiots, and are afraid that now they will be thought of that way to. You know what? I don't care if people think I'm an idiot.
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...
We must not be embarrassed, ashamed, or afraid to proclaim our faith. Jesus said,
Mark 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
I don't want to hide my faith under a basket - when I share with someone, there is always the possibility that he or she will come to faith as well.
But what do you do if you are afraid? Ask for prayer. Paul wrote to ask the Colossians,
Col. 4:3-4 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
King Nebuchadnezzar had come to faith and proclaimed it within his sphere of influence. How did he come to that faith? Chapter four is his testimony regarding the events that led up to it.

4:4 Flourishing
Babylon had crushed its opposition militarily. They were sitting easy and pretty. Historically, we know that Nebuchadnezzar adorned Babylonia magnificently with the spoils of war he had captured. The temples were improved, cities were rebuilt, and many walls were erected. A second palace was built, attached to the old one. Berosus notes in his third book of Chaldaic History regarding that palace, "to describe whose vast height and immense riches it would perhaps be too much for me to attempt; yet as large and lofty as they were, they were completed in fifteen days."
Another thing that the king commissioned to have built were elevated walkways and hanging gardens. He wanted his wife from Media to feel at home, so he made them look like mountains, planted with all kinds of trees. These hanging gardens of Semiramis were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Even in the book of Revelation, Babylon is described as...
Rev. 18:10 ... the great city, Babylon, the strong city...
Indeed, Babylon was flourishing, and Nebuchadnezzar was at ease.

4:5-7 Another Dream
The king had another alarming dream. Again, he brought in the wise men of the court to interpret the dream, but they could not make it known to him. This was not like the last time, when he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed, in addition to the interpretation. Although he described the dream to them, they were either unable or unwilling to tell him what the dream meant.

4:8-9 Daniel Brought In
Daniel had been given the pagan name Bale-tesh-ats-TSAR when he had been captured from Jerusalem as a teenager (1:7). The name means "the treasure of Bel." Bel was one of the primary gods that Nebuchadnezzar had worshiped.
Whether Daniel had been unavailable, out of town, or the king was just saving his best for last, it was awhile before Daniel came in. Nebuchadnezzar related the dream to him personally, and expressed his confidence in Daniel's ability to interpret it.

4:10-18 The Dream Related
Nebuchadnezzar tells Daniel the dream - a vision of a tall and fruitful tree. This tree was chopped down, left only as a stump. The stump was bound with a band of iron and bronze, and begins to be described as a "he" - a "he" that is given the mind of a beast in place of the mind of a man.
Nebuchadnezzar related the dream and again asked Daniel for the interpretation which he knew Daniel was able to give.

4:19 Daniel's Reaction
Daniel did know what the dream meant, but it alarmed and stunned him. He was afraid for the king, and wished that the dream did not mean what it meant.
It was the king who snapped him out of it and said, "You might as well tell me."

4:20-25 The Dream Interpreted
Daniel explained that the tree in the dream was Nebuchadnezzar. He had grown in influence, power, and visibility. His kingdom provided for and ruled over many.
The judgment was spoken against the king - he would be chopped down, but not completely destroyed. He would become just a stump of what he had been, in bondage to his own mind - a mind that would become like that of an animal.
He would be in this state until he recognized that God was the true ruler, and the One who places people in their positions of authority.

4:26-27 Restoration Promised
The roots of the tree were left intact, indicating that when the king did acknowledge the Lord, his kingdom would be given back to him.
Daniel pleaded with Nebuchadnezzar to repent immediately of his pride. Unfortunately, his words had no effect.

4:28-30 The King's Pride
God was merciful for another year, allowing the king time to repent. He did not. He was filled with pride. He looked out over the magnificent city and was impressed with what he had done. He had given no credit to the Lord, but had taken it all upon himself. His name was all over the place. As a matter of fact, when archaeologists began to excavate Babylon, they found that most of the bricks from the buildings were stamped with the phrase, "Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, supporter of Esagila and Ezida, exalted first-born son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon."
It seems rather self-indulgent, doesn't it? But then again, how often do we pridefully take credit for our accomplishments? How often do we have our name all over what we do? We must acknowledge God as the giver of all good things, and credit him with our accomplishments. They are, after all, because of Him. As Paul said,
1Cor. 4:7 ...what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
God demands credit for what He does. That is why pride is so offensive to Him. It is even listed as the first of the "seven deadly sins" (Prov. 6:16-19).
The Scriptures are full of warning against pride, lest we lose those things we are prideful over.
Prov. 16:18 Pride {goes} before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.
Prov. 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
Nebuchadnezzar was a prideful man, and God was going to make sure he was brought low.

4:31-33 The Dream Fulfilled
The king was judged for his pride. He went mad, experiencing what psychologists call "boanthropy," the delusion that you are an ox. He ate grass and had no personal hygiene. His nails grew long and his hair became matted into dreadlocks. For seven years, he was like this.
As amazing as this account seems, we have it in his own words. Plus, this has been historically confirmed in Babylonian archaeology. A Qumran document, "The Prayer of Nabonidus" makes mention of a king of Babylon as a tree being chopped down and spending seven years in insanity.
The Greek historian Abydenus wrote in 268 BC that Nebuchadnezzar had been "possessed by some god" and subsequently had disappeared from the scene.
Thirdly, scholars have noted that although Nebuchadnezzar's accomplishments have been well documented, there is no record of him doing anything between the years 582 BC and 575 BC.
This was truly a terrible time for Nebuchadnezzar.

4:34-37 Nebuchadnezzar Restored
The king, even in his insanity, waited seven years to lift his eyes toward heaven. Why would anyone wait so long? Remember, many of the inhabitants on the earth in the Tribulation period will wait seven years, suffering terribly insane times before turning to Jesus Christ. How many do we know now who refuse to look to the cross?
But Nebuchadnezzar finally looked to heaven. His reason returned, his kingdom was restored, and he gave glory to God.
Dan. 4:37 “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
May we repent of our pride before God is forced to humble us, and praise the King of Heaven for his works are true and His ways are just.

 

Why isn't this thread locked? I can understand when there was an actual discussion, but it's become one poster copying and pasting the bible. I don't care to have this poster's beliefs shoved down my throat everyday. If I want to read the bible I can do it without the help of a poster on a Blazers OT message board. No offense to "the believers"

 

I don't think it necessarily needs to be locked, but Lincoln, I think you should try to promote some discussion rather than just posting TL;DR's that aren't going to result in conversation.

 

Don't click on the thread. I personally think DaLincolnJones' posts have been very insightful and full of interesting information.

 

It does potentially encourage discussion.

 

Hey, Thanks for the input. I only share some of my daily readings for those that are interested. If its not your cup of tea, feel free to not click.

 

LameR,

I am always open to discussion, and am willing to study any subject, so long as it is done with mutual respect. The desire I have is to avoid the pitfalls of many past threads, that end up being heated arguments.

As far as what I am posting, well, if its too long, and you have no interest, well, dont read. To be honest, if I was the only one that got anything out of it, then I would be fine with that, but I do hope there are others that take even a small interest.

 

I apologize for doing this, but I am going to take an intermission from the book of Daniel. I woke up this morning thinking about Romans, so, please bear with me as I try and discover why.

 

Romans 1

The Human Race Guilty Before God
A. The importance and impact of Paul's Letter to the Romans.

1. In the summer of 386, a young man wept in the backyard of a friend. He knew that his life of sin and rebellion against God was killing him, leaving him empty; but he just couldn't find the strength to make a final, real decision for Jesus Christ. As he sat, he heard some children playing a game and they called out to each other these words: "Take up and read! Take up and read!" Thinking God had a message to him through the words of the children, he picked up a scroll laying nearby opened it and began to read: not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires (Romans 13:13b-14). He didn't read any further; he didn't have to. Through the power of God's word, Augustine had the faith to entrust his whole life to Jesus Christ at that moment.

2. In August of 1513, a monk lectured on the book of Psalms in a seminary, but his inner life was nothing but turmoil. In his studies, he came across Psalm 31:1: In Thy righteousness deliver me. The passage confused him; how could God's righteousness do anything but condemn him to Hell as a righteous punishment for his sins? Luther kept thinking about Romans 1:17, which says that in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live" (Habakkuk 2:4). The monk went on to say: "Night and day I pondered until … I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Therefore I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise … This passage of Paul became to me a gateway into heaven." Martin Luther was born again, and the reformation began in his heart.

3. In May of 1738, a failed minister and missionary went unwillingly to small Bible study where someone read aloud from Martin Luther's commentary on Romans. As the failed missionary said later: "while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine." John Wesley was saved that night in London.

4. Consider the testimony of these men regarding Romans:

a. Martin Luther praised the Book of Romans: "It is the chief part of the New Testament and the perfect gospel … the absolute epitome of the gospel."

b. Philip Melancthon called Romans, "The compendium of Christian doctrine."

c. John Calvin said of Romans, "When any one understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture."

d. Samuel Coleridge, English poet and literary critic said Paul's letter to the Romans is "The most profound work in existence."

e. Frederick Godet, 19th Century Swiss theologian called the Book of Romans "The cathedral of the Christian faith."

f. G. Campbell Morgan said Romans was "The most pessimistic page of literature upon which your eyes ever rested" and at the same time, "the most optimistic poem to which your ears ever listened."

g. Richard Lenski wrote Romans is "Beyond question the most dynamic of all New Testament letters even as it was written at the climax of Paul's apostolic career."

5. We should also remember the Apostle Peter's words about Paul's letters: Also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles … in which are some things hard to understand. (2 Peter 3:15-16)

a. The Book of Romans has life changing truth but it must be approached with effort and determination to understand what the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle Paul.

B. Introduction.

1. (1) Paul introduces himself to the Romans.

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

a. Paul: The life and ministry of Paul (also known as Saul of Tarsus) is well documented in Acts chapters 8 through 28, as well as Galatians 1 and 2, and 2 Corinthians 11 and 12.

i. It is almost universally agreed that Paul wrote Romans from the city of Corinth as he wintered there on his third missionary journey as described in Acts 20:2-3. This is based on Romans 16:1 and 16:23 along with 1 Corinthians 1:14. A variety of commentators pick the date of writing anywhere from 53 to 58 A.D.

ii. By the time Paul wrote Romans, he had been a Christian preacher for some 20 years. In Corinth, on his way to Jerusalem, he had three months without any pressing duties. He perhaps thought this was a good time to write ahead to Rome, a church he planned to visit after Jerusalem.

iii. As Paul endeavored to go to Rome, the Holy Spirit warned him about the peril awaiting him in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-14). What if he were unable to make it to Rome? Then he must write them a letter so comprehensive that the Christians in Rome had the gospel Paul preached, even if Paul himself were not able to visit them.

iv. Because of all this, Romans is different than other letters Paul wrote to New Testament churches. Other New Testament letters focus more on the church and its challenges and problems. The letter to the Romans focuses more on God and His great plan of redemption.

v. We know the letter to the Romans was prized by the Christians in Rome; Clement of Rome's letter in 96 A.D. shows great familiarity with Paul's letter. It may be that he had memorized it, and that the reading of it became a part of virtually every meeting of the Roman church. As well, many scholars (Bruce and Barclay among them) believe that an edited version of Romans - without the personal references in Romans 16 - was distributed widely among early churches, as a summary of apostolic doctrine.

b. A bondservant … an apostle: Paul's self-identification is important. He is first a servant of Jesus Christ, and second called to be an apostle.

i. There were several Greek words used to designate a slave, but the idea behind the word for servant (doulos) is "complete and utter devotion, not the abjectness which was the normal condition of the slave." (Morris)

ii. "A servant of Jesus Christ, is a higher title than monarch of the world." (Poole)

c. Separated to the gospel of God: The idea of being an apostle is that you are a special ambassador or messenger. Paul's message is the gospel (good news) of God. It is the gospel of God in the sense that it belongs to God in heaven. This isn't a gospel Paul made up; he simply is a messenger of God's gospel.

i. Separated unto the gospel: "St. Paul may here refer to his former state as a Pharisee, which literally signifies a separatist, or one separated. Before he was separated unto the service of his own sect; now he is separated unto the Gospel of God." (Clarke)

ii. "Some think he alludes to the name of Pharisee, which is from separating: when he was a Pharisee, he was separated to the law of God; and now, being a Christian, he was separated to the gospel of God." (Poole)

d. The gospel of God: Other New Testament letters focus more on the church and its challenges and problems; Romans focuses more on God. "God is the most important word in this epistle. Romans is a book about God. No topic is treated with anything like the frequency of God. Everything Paul touches in this letter he relates to God. In our concern to understand what the apostle is saying about righteousness, justification, and the like we ought not to overlook his tremendous concentration on God." (Morris)

i. The word "God" occurs 153 times in the book; an average of once every 46 words - this is more frequently than in any other New Testament book. In comparison, note the frequency of other words used in Romans: law(72), Christ (65), sin (48), Lord (43), and faith(40). Romans deals with many different themes, but as much as a book can be, it is a book about God.

ii. There are many important words in the vocabulary of Romans we must understand; Bruce quotes Tyndale's preface to Romans: "First we must mark diligently the manner of speaking of the apostle, and above all things know what Paul meaneth by these words - the Law, Sin, Grace, Faith, Righteousness, Flesh, Spirit, and such like - or else, read thou it ever so often, thou shall but lose thy labor."

2. (2-6) Paul introduces his gospel to the Romans.

Which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

a. He promised before through His prophets: This gospel is not something new, and it is not a clever invention of man. Paul's world was much like ours, with people liked "new" teachings and doctrines. Nevertheless, Paul didn't bring something new, but something very old in the plan of God.

b. Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord: This is the center of Paul's gospel, the "sun" that everything this else orbits around. The center of Christianity is not a teaching or a moral system, it is a Person: Jesus Christ.

i. This Jesus has both a human origin (born of the seed of David according to the flesh), and an eternal existence (declared to be the Son of God). The evidence of Jesus' humanity is His human birth; the evidence of His deity is His resurrection from the dead.

ii. The resurrection of Jesus shows His divine power because He rose by His own power: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again. (John 2:19)

iii. "There is a sense in which Jesus was the Son of God in weakness before the resurrection but the Son of God in power thereafter." (Morris)

c. Declared: This ancient Greek word (horizo) comes from the idea "to bound, define, determine, or limit, and hence our word horizon, the line that determines the farthest visible part of the earth in reference to the heavens. In this place the word signifies such a manifest and complete exhibition of the subject as to render it indubitable." (Clarke)

d. Jesus Christ our Lord: It means something that the Apostle Paul called Jesus Lord: "This term could be no more than a polite form of address like our 'Sir.' But it could also be used of the deity one worships. The really significant background, though, is its use in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to render the divine name, Yahweh … Christians who used this as their Bible would be familiar with the term as equivalent to deity." (Morris)

e. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith: Paul's gospel impacts individual lives. It isn't interesting theory or philosophy, it is life-changing good news.

i. The gospel gave Paul and the church grace and apostleship, and one reason those two gifts were given was to produce obedience to the faith. "Without the GRACE, favour, and peculiar help of God, he could not have been an apostle." (Clarke)

ii. The gospel is big enough and great enough for the whole world; it must go out to impact all nations.

iii. The gospel had reached the Roman Christians, demonstrating that they are the called of Jesus Christ.

3. (7-15) Paul's desire to come to Rome.

To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

a. To all who are in Rome: Paul had never been to Rome, and did not found the Roman church. This makes the Book of Romans different because most of Paul's letters were to churches he founded. It seems the church in Rome began somewhat spontaneously as Christians came to the great city of the Empire and settled there. There is no Biblical or historical evidence that the Apostle Peter founded the church in Rome.

i. Acts 2:10 describes how there were people from Rome among the Jews present at the Day of Pentecostal, so when they returned home that was a start. Beyond that, the origins of the church in Rome are somewhat obscure, but Christians continually migrated to Rome from all parts of the empire. It shouldn't surprise us that a church started there spontaneously, without the direct planting by an apostle.

ii. Even so, through mutual acquaintances or through his travels, Paul knew many of the Christians in Rome by name because he mentions them in Romans 16. Even if Paul only knew many of the Roman Christian by acquaintance, he knew two things about them and every true Christian. He knew they were beloved of God and that they were saints.

iii. Called to be saints: "You notice that the words 'to be' are put in by the translators; but though they are supplied, they are not really necessary to the sense. These believers in Rome were 'called saints.' They were not called because they were saints; but they became saints through that calling." (Spurgeon)

iv. Lenski says Romans 1:8-15 has the feel of "small talk" among those trying to get to know one another.

b. Grace to you and peace from God: Paul formally addresses his readers with his familiar greeting, combining the Greek greeting of grace with the Jewish greeting of peace. This grace and peace is not the kind wish of a man; they are gifts, coming from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

c. I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world: Paul was thankful for the good reputation of the church in Rome. Because of its location, this church had a special visibility and opportunity to glorify Jesus throughout the empire.

i. These Christians had to be strong. "The Christians of Rome were unpopular - reputed to be 'enemies of the human race' and credited with such vices as incest and cannibalism. In large numbers, then, they became the victims of the imperial malevolence - and it is this persecution of Christians under Nero that traditionally forms the setting for Paul's martyrdom." (Bruce)

ii. "The Romanists urge this place to prove Rome the mother church; but without reason: the church of Thessalonica had as high a eulogy: see 1 Thessalonians 1:8." (Poole)

d. Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers: Paul wanted the Roman Christians to know he was praying for them, and praying for an opportunity to visit them (I may find a way in the will of God to come to you).

i. "No wonder that they prospered so well when Paul always made mention of them in his prayers. Some churches would prosper better if some of you remembered them more in prayer." (Spurgeon)

ii. For God is my witness is perhaps Paul's acknowledgment of how easy it is to say you will pray for someone, and then fail to do it. He wanted them to know that he was really praying.

e. I may impart to you … that I may be encouraged: Paul's desire to visit the church in Rome is not merely to give to them, but to receive as well, because Paul realized that in their mutual faith, they have something to give to him.

f. I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now): For a long time, Paul wanted to visit Rome and was only hindered by external circumstances. Perhaps some enemies of Paul implied he was afraid to go to Rome and preach the gospel in the "major leagues," in the Empire's leading city.

g. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise: Paul recognized he had something of a debt to Rome. The Roman Empire brought world peace and order, they brought a common cultural, and an excellent transportation system to the world. Paul used all these in spreading the gospel, so he can best repay this debt by giving Rome the good news of Jesus Christ.

i. Paul was such a tireless evangelist, working all over the world because he believed he had a debt to pay, and he owed it to the whole world.

h. I am ready: Spurgeon wonders if Paul didn't use the words "I am ready" as his motto. Almost the first words out of his mouth when he was saved were, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" (Acts 9:6)

- Paul was ready to preach and to serve (Romans 1:15)
- Paul was ready to suffer (Acts 21:13)
- Paul was ready to do unpleasant work (2 Corinthians 10:6)
- Paul was ready to die (2 Timothy 4:6)
i. "A Moravian was about to be sent by Zinzendorf to preach in Greenland. He had never heard of it before; but his leader called him, and said, 'Brother, will you go to Greenland?' He answered, 'Yes, sir.' 'When will you go?' 'When my boots come home from the cobbler;' and he did go as soon as his boots came home. He wanted nothing else but just that pair of boots, and he was ready to go. Paul, not even waiting for his boots to come home from the cobbler, says, 'I am ready.' Oh, it is grand to find a man so little entangled that he can go where God would have him go, and can go at once." (Spurgeon)

i. I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also: This is a bold way of talking. "Talk of your brave men, your great men, O world! Where in all history can you find one like Paul? Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, marched with the protection of their armies to enforce their will upon men. Paul was eager to march with Christ alone to the center of this world's greatness entrenched under Satan with the word of the cross, which he himself says is to the Jews, and offence; and to Gentiles, foolishness." (Newell)

i. Ironically - in the mystery of God's irony, when Paul did eventually get to Rome, he came as a shipwrecked prisoner.

ii. "I do not suppose that Paul guessed that he would be sent there at the government expense, but he was. The Roman Empire had to find a ship for him, and a fit escort for him, too; and he entered the city as an ambassador in bonds. When our hearts are set on a thing, and we pray for it, God may grant us the blessing; but, it may be, in a way that we never looked for. You shall go to Rome, Paul; but you shall go in chains." (Spurgeon)

 

4. (16-17) Paul introduces the theme of his letter: the righteousness of God, as revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

a. After his introduction, Paul introduces his "thesis statement" for his letter to the Romans. Leon Morris says of Romans 1:16 and 17: "These two verses have an importance out of all proportion to their length."

b. I am not ashamed of the gospel reveals Paul's heart. In a sophisticated city like Rome, some might be embarrassed by a gospel centered on a crucified Jewish savior, embraced by the lowest classes of people - but Paul is not ashamed.

c. For it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes: This is why Paul is not ashamed of a gospel centered on a crucified savior. He knows that the gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ - has inherent power. We do not give it power, we only stop hindering the power of the gospel when we present it effectively.

i. The gospel is certainly news, but it is more than information; it has an inherent power. "The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up. Paul does not say that the gospel brings power, but that it is power, and God's power at that." (Morris)

ii. In particular, Rome thought it knew all about power: "Power is the one thing that Rome boasted of the most. Greece might have its philosophy, but Rome had its power." (Wiersbe). Despite all their power, the Romans - like all men - were powerless to make themselves righteous before God. The ancient philosopher Seneca called Rome "a cesspool of iniquity" and the ancient writer Juvenal called it a "filthy sewer into which the dregs of the empire flood."

iii. For salvation: In the Roman world of Paul's day, men looked for salvation. Philosophers knew that man was sick and needed help. Epictetus called his lecture room "the hospital for the sick soul." Epicurus called his teaching "the medicine of salvation." Seneca said that because men were so conscious of "their weakness and their inefficiency in necessary things" that all men were looking "towards salvation." Epictetus said that men were looking for a peace "not of Caesar's proclamation, but of God's." (Cited in Barclay)

iv. The gospel's power to salvation comes to everyone who believes. God will not withhold salvation from the one who believes; but believing is the only requirement.

d. The message of the gospel came for the Jew first and also for the Greek (the non-Jew). This was demonstrated both by the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 15:24) and the initial ministry of the disciples (Matthew 10:5-6).

i. This means that the gospel was meant to go first to the ethnic and cultural Jew, and then to the cultural Greek. "At this time the word Greek had lost its racial sense altogether. It did not mean a native of the country of Greece … (a Greek) was one who knew the culture and the mind of Greece." (Barclay)

e. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed: Simply, the gospel reveals the righteousness of God. This revelation of God's righteousness comes to those with faith, fulfilling Habakkuk 2:4: The just - that is, the justified ones - shall live by faith.

i. It is essential to understand exactly what the righteousness of God revealed by the gospel is. It is not speaking of the holy righteousness of God that condemns the guilty sinner, but of the God-kind of righteousness that is given to the sinner who puts their trust in Jesus Christ.

ii. Righteousness: William Barclay explains the meaning of this ancient Greek word dikaioo, which means I justify, and is the root of dikaioun (righteousness): "All verbs in Greek which end in oo … always mean to treat, or account or reckon a person as something. If God justifies a sinner, it does not mean that he finds reasons to prove that he was right - far from it. It does not even mean, at this point, that he makes the sinner a good man. It means that God treats the sinner as if he had not been a sinner at all."

iii. "It was the happiest day in Luther's life when he discovered that 'God's Righteousness' as used in Romans means God's verdict of righteousness upon the believer." (Lenski)

iv. This declaration is even greater when we understand that this is the righteousness of God given to the believer. It is not the righteousness of even them most holy mere man, nor is it the righteousness of innocent Adam in Eden. It is God's righteousness. "The righteousness which is unto justification is one characterized by the perfection belonging to all that God is and does. It is a 'God-righteousness'." (Murray)

iv. This faith (trust) in Jesus Christ becomes the basis of life for those who are justified (declared righteous); truly, the just shall live by faith. They are not only saved by faith, but they live by faith.

f. From faith to faith: The idea behind this difficult phrase is probably "by faith from beginning to end." The NIV translates the phrase from faith to faith as by faith from first to last.

i. "He saith not, from faith to works, or from works to faith; but from faith to faith, i.e. only by faith." (Poole)

ii. "Perhaps what it conveys is the necessity of issuing a reminder to the believer that justifying faith is only the beginning of the Christians life. The same attitude must govern him in his continuing experience as a child of God." (Harrison) This is an "echo" of Paul's message in Galatians 3:1-3.

C. Why man must be justified by faith: the guilt of the human race in general.

1. (18a) The greatest peril facing the human race: the wrath of God.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven

a. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven: The idea is simple but sobering - God's wrath is revealed from heaven against the human race, and the human race deserves the wrath of God.

b. We sometimes object to the idea of the wrath of God because we equate it with human anger, which is motivated by selfish personal reasons or by a desire for revenge. We must not forget that the wrath of God is completely righteous in character.

i. "It is unnecessary, and it weakens the biblical concept of the wrath of God, to deprive it of its emotional and affective character … to construe God's wrath as simply in his purpose to punish sin or to secure the connection between sin and misery is to equate wrath with its effects and virtually eliminate wrath as a movement within the mind of God. Wrath is the holy revulsion of God's being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness." (Murrary)

c. In Romans 1:16, Paul spoke of salvation - but what are we saved from? First and foremost, we are saved from the wrath of God that we righteously deserve.

i. "Unless there is something to be saved from, there is no point in talking about salvation." (Morris)

d. In this portion of the letter (Romans 1:18-3:20), Paul's goal is not to proclaim the good news, but to demonstrate the absolute necessity of the good news of salvation from God's righteous wrath.

i. The wrath of God is not revealed in the gospel, but in the facts of human experience.

2. (18b-23) Why the human race is guilty before God: demonstrations of our ungodliness and unrighteousness.

Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

a. Ungodliness refers to man's offenses against God; unrighteousness to the sins of man against man.

b. Who suppress the truth in unrighteousness: Mankind does in fact suppress the truth of God. Every truth revealed to man by God has been fought against, disregarded, and deliberately obscured.

c. His invisible attributes are clearly seen: God has shown us something of His eternal power and divine nature through creation, by the things that are made. He has given a general revelation that is obvious both in creation and within the mind and heart of man.

i. Clearly seen: The universal character of this revelation and the clarity of it leave man without excuse for rejecting it. "Men cannot charge God with hiding himself from them and thus excuse their irreligion and their immorality." (Lenski)

d. Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God: The problem is not that man did not know God, but that he did know Him - yet we refused to glorify Him as God. Therefore, mankind is without excuse. We didn't glorify God; we transformed our conception of Him into forms and images more comfortable to our corrupt and darkened hearts.

i. "Will you kindly notice, that, according to my text, knowledge is of no use if it does not lead to holy practice? "They knew God." It was no good to them to know God, for "they glorified him not as God." So my theological friend over there, who knows so much that he can split hairs over doctrines, it does not matter what you think, or what you know, unless it leads you to glorify God, and to be thankful." (Spurgeon)

ii. We can't seem to resist the temptation to create God into his own corrupt image, or even in an image beneath us. One great tragedy in this is that we inescapably become like the God we serve.

iii. It is absolutely essential that we constantly compare our own conception of God against the reality of who God is as revealed in His Word. We can also be guilty of worshipping a self-made God.

iv. Image in Romans 1:23 is the ancient Greek word eikon. It is a dangerous thing to change the glory of the incorruptible God into an eikon (image) of your own choosing.

e. Nor were thankful: Man's simple ingratitude against God is shocking. "I cannot say anything much worse of a man than that he is not thankful to those who have been his benefactors; and when you say that he is not thankful to God, you have said about the worst thing you can say of him." (Spurgeon)

i. "But when you glorify God as God, and are thankful for everything - when you can take up a bit of bread and a cup of cold water, and say with the poor Puritan, 'What, all this, and Christ too?' - then are you happy, and you make others happy. A godly preacher, finding that all that there was for dinner was a potato and a herring, thanked God that he had ransacked sea and land to find food for his children. Such a sweet spirit breeds love to everybody, and makes a man go through the world cheerfully." (Spurgeon)

f. Professing to be wise, they became fools: Our rejection of God's general revelation has not made us smarter or better. Instead, it makes mankind futile in their thoughts, and makes our foolish hearts darkened - and we become fools.

i. The fact is once a man rejects the truth of God in Jesus, he will fall for anything foolish, and trust far more feeble and fanciful systems that what he rejects from God.

ii. This futility of thinking, darkening of the heart, and folly must be seen as one example of God's righteous wrath against those who have rejected His revelation. Part of His judgment against us is allowing us to suffer the damage our sinful course leads to.

3. (24-32) The tragic result of human guilt before God.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

a. Therefore God also gave them up: In His righteous wrath and judgment, God gives man up to the sin our evil hearts desire, allowing us to experience the self-destructive result of sin. This phrase is so important Paul repeats it three times in this passage.

i. Hosea 4:17 expresses the judgmental aspects of God "giving us up," leaving us to our own sin: Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone.

ii. We err when we think that it is God's mercy or kindness that allows man to continue in sin. It is actually His wrath that allows us to go on destroying ourselves with sin.

b. Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie: In every rebellion and disobedience against God we exchange the truth of God for the lie of our own choosing, and set the creature before the Creator.

i. Paul uses the definite article; it is not a lie, but the lie. The lie is essentially idolatry - which puts us in the place of God; it is the lie you will be like God. (Genesis 3:5)

c. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions: Paul wrote this letter from the city of Corinth, were every sort of sexual immorality and ritualistic prostitution was practiced freely. The terminology of Romans 1:24 refers to this combination of sexual immorality and idolatrous worship.

i. This begins a passage where Paul describes the sin and corruption of the pagan world with an amazing directness - so direct that Spurgeon thought this passage unfit for public reading. "This first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans is a dreadful portion of the Word of God. I should hardly like to read it all through aloud; it is not intended to be so used. Read it at home, and be startled at the awful vices of the Gentile world." (Spurgeon)

d. Paul uses homosexuality - both female and male - as an example of God giving them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

i. Some say that the Bible nowhere condemns lesbian homosexuality, but the likewise of Romans 1:27 makes it clear that the sin of homosexuality condemned in Romans 1:27 is connected to the sin of women mentioned in Romans 1:26.

ii. Paul doesn't even use the normal words for men and women here; he uses the words for male and female, using categories that describe sexuality outside of human terms, because the type of sexual sin he describes is outside of human dignity.

iii. Paul categorizes the whole section under the idea of vile passions - unhealthy, unholy. Nevertheless, Paul lived in a culture that openly approved of homosexuality. Paul didn't write this to a culture that agreed with him.

iv. Paul wrote to a culture where homosexuality was accepted as a part of life for both men and women. For some 200 years, men who openly practiced homosexuality, often with young boys, ruled the Roman Empire.

v. At times, the Roman Empire specifically taxed approved homosexual prostitution and gave boy prostitutes a legal holiday. Legal marriage between same gender couples was recognized, and even some of the emperors married other men. At the very time Paul was writing, Nero was emperor. He took a boy named Sporus and had him castrated, then married him (with a full ceremony), brought him to the palace with a great procession, and made the boy his "wife." Later, Nero lived with another man, and Nero was the "wife."

vi. Homosexual practice truly is an abomination in our present culture. Statistics tell us that on average 43% of homosexuals say that they have had 500 or more sexual partners in their lifetime, and only 1% of homosexuals say they have had four or less sexual partners in their lifetime.

vii. According the Unites States Department of Health and Human Services, 77% of homosexuals say they have met sexual partners in a city park; 62% in a homosexual bar, 61% in a theater, 31% in a public restroom. Only 28% of homosexuals said that they had known their partners for at least a week before participating in homosexual sex.

viii. Homosexuals often seem to specialize in anonymous sex with no emotional commitment. At one time, London AIDS clinics defined a woman as promiscuous if she had more than six partners in her lifetime. They gave up trying to apply a workable definition to male homosexuals when it became clear that they saw almost no homosexual men who had less than six sexual partners a year.

e. Receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due: Paul speaks of a penalty for homosexual conduct; Homosexuality has within itself a penalty. This speaks of the self-destructive nature of sin; it often carries within itself it's own penalty.

i. Sometimes it is the penalty of disease, which is the consequence of violating nature's order.

ii. Sometimes it is the penalty of rebellion, resulting in spiritual emptiness and all it's ramifications. The term "gay" is wishful thinking; it sends a message that there is something essentially happy and carefree about the homosexual lifestyle - which there is not.

f. Again, this "freedom" to disobey should be seen as God's judgment, not His kindness; those who engage in such acts are receiving in themselves the penalty of their error.

g. As further judgment, God gives man over to a debased mind, so that things that are disgraceful and sickening are readily accepted and approved.

i. The word debased (or, reprobate in the KJV) meant originally 'that which has not stood the test'. It was used of coins that were substandard and therefore rejected. The idea is that since man did not "approve" to know God, men came to have an "unapproved" mind.

ii. "The human race put God to the test for the purpose of approving Him should He meet the specifications which it laid down for a God who would be to its liking, and finding that He did not meet those specifications, it refused to approve Him as the God to be worshipped, or have Him in its knowledge." (Wuest)

iii. A debased mind: Our rebellion against God is not only displayed in our actions, but in our thinking. We are genuinely "spiritually insane" in our rebellion against God.

h. The list in Romans 1:29-31 gives concrete examples of the kind of things which are not fitting. Notice how "socially acceptable" sins (such as covetousness, envy and pride) are included right along with "socially unacceptable" sins (such as murder and being unloving).

i. Covetousness is literally the itch for more.

ii. Whisperers: "Secret detractors; those who, under pretended secrecy, carry about accusations against their neighbours, whether true or false; blasting their reputation by clandestine tittle-tattle." (Clarke)

iii. Is envy a small sin? Envy put Jesus on the cross. Pilateknew that they had handed Him over because of envy. (Matthew 27:18)

iv. Proud: "They who are continually exalting themselves and depressing others; magnifying themselves at the expense of their neighbours; and wishing all men to receive their sayings as oracles." (Clarke)

i. Those who either practice or approve of these things are worthy of death; they are the worth objects of the wrath of God.

j. Where does all this violence, immorality, cruelty and degradation come from? Men have abandoned the true knowledge of God, and the state of society is a reflection of God's judgment upon them for this.

 

Romans 2

The Guilt of the Moralist and the Jew
A. God's judgment upon the morally educated.

1. (1-3) An indictment of the morally educated.

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

a. Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge: In Romans 1, Paul pointed out the sin of the most notoriously guilty; he now envisions those who are generally "moral" in their conduct congratulating themselves that they are not like the people Paul described in Romans 1.

i. A good example of this mind set is Jesus' illustration of the Pharisee and the Publican. If we take those figures from Jesus' parable, now Paul addresses the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14).

ii. Undoubtedly, in many ways the Jew of Paul's day typified the moralist; but his words in Romans 2:1-16 seem to have a wider application, beyond Jews only. For example, what about Seneca, the Roman moral teacher and tutor of Nero? He would agree wholeheartedly with Paul regarding the morals of most pagans, but a man like Seneca would think, "I'm different from those immoral people."

iii. Many Christians admired Seneca and his strong stand for "morals" and "family values." "But too often he tolerated in himself vices not so different from those which he condemned in others - the most flagrant instance being his connivance at Nero's murder of his mother Agrippina." (Bruce)

b. For in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself: After gaining the agreement of the moralist in condemning the obvious sinner, now Paul turns the same argument upon the moralist himself. This is because at the end of it all, for you who judge practice the same things.

i. As we judge another person, we point to a standard outside of our self - and that standard condemns everyone, not only the "obvious" sinner. "Since you know the justice of God, as evidenced by the fact that you are judging others, you are without an excuse, because is the very act of judging you have condemned yourself." (Murray)

ii. Practice the same things: Notice that the moralist is not condemned for judging others; but for being guilty of the same things that he judges others for. This is something the moral man would object to ("I'm not like them at all!"), but Paul will demonstrate this is the truth.

iii. Wuest, quoting Denney on for you who judge practice the same things: "Not, you do the identical actions, but your conduct is the same, i.e., you sin against light. The sin of the Jews was the same, but their sins were not."

c. According to truth has the idea of "according to the facts of the case." God will judge (and condemn) the moralist on the basis of the facts.

d. The point is made clear: if the moralist is just as guilty as the obvious sinner how will they escape the judgment of God?

i. You is emphatic in [do you think] you will escape the judgment of God? Paul is bearing down, letting his reader know that he is no exception to this principle. Paul gets right to the heart of his readers. "Our exhortations should be as forked arrows to stick in men's hearts; and not wound only, as other arrows." (Trapp)

ii. Lenski on the moralist: "Paul's object is far greater than merely to convict also them of unrighteousness. He robs them, absolutely must rob them, of their moralism and their moralizing because they regard this as the way of escape from God's wrath."

2. (4-5) God's judgment against the moralist is announced.

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

a. Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering: Paul points out that the moralist himself is presuming upon the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God, which all should have brought the moralist into a humble repentance instead of an attitude of superiority.

i. Goodness may be considered God's kindness to us in regard to our past sin. He has been good to us because He has not judged us yet though we deserve it.

ii. Forbearance may be considered God's kindness to us in regard to our present sin. This very day - indeed, this very hour - we have fallen short of His glory, yet He holds back His judgment against us.

iii. Longsuffering may be considered God's kindness to us in regard to our future sin. He knows that we will sin tomorrow and the next day, yet He holds back His judgment against us.

iv. Considering all this, it is no surprise that Paul describes these three aspects of God's kindness to us as riches. The riches of God's mercy is measured by four considerations:

- His greatness - to wrong a great man is a great wrong and God is greatest of all - yet He shows mercy

- His omniscience - if someone knew all our sin, would they show mercy? Yet God shows mercy

- His power - sometimes wrongs are not settled because they are out of our power, yet God is able to settle every wrong against Him - yet He is rich in mercy

- The object of His mercy, mere man - would we show mercy to an ant? Yet God is rich in mercy

v. Knowing how great God's kindness is, it is a great sin to presume upon the graciousness of God, and we easily come to believe that we deserve it.

b. Men often see the forbearance and longsuffering of God as a weakness in God; they say things like "If there is a God in heaven, let Him strike me dead!" When it doesn't happen, they will say, "See, I told you there was no God." Men misinterpret God's forbearance and longsuffering as His approval, and they refuse to repent.

i. "It seems to me that every morning when a man wakes up still impenitent, and finds himself out of hell, the sunlight seems to say, 'I shine on thee yet another day, as that in this day thou mayest repent.' When your bed receives you at night I think it seems to say, 'I will give you another night's rest, that you may live to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus.' Every mouthful of bread that comes to the table says, 'I have to support your body that still you may have space for repentance.' Every time you open the Bible the pages say, 'We speak with you that you may repent.' Every time you hear a sermon, if it be such a sermon as God would have us preach, it pleads with you to turn unto the Lord and live." (Spurgeon)

c. Not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance: Many people misunderstand the goodness of God towards the wicked. They don't understand the entire reason for it is to lead them to repentance.

i. Men should see the goodness of God and understand:

- God has been better to them than they deserve
- God has shown them kindness when they have ignored Him
- God has shown them kindness when they have mocked Him
- God is not a cruel master and they may safely surrender to Him
- God is perfectly willing to forgive them
- God should be served out of simple gratitude
ii. Are you waiting for God to drive you to repentance? He doesn't work like that; God leads you to repentance. "Notice, dear friends, that the Lord does not drive you to repentance. Cain was driven away, as a fugitive and a vagabond, when he had killed his righteous brother Abel; Judas went and hanged himself, being driven by an anguish of remorse because of what he had done in betraying his Lord; but the sweetest and best repentance is that which comes, not by driving, but by drawing: 'The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.'" (Spurgeon)

iii. "In the New Testament, repentance is not simply negative. It means turning to a new life in Christ, a life of active service to God. It should not be confused with remorse, which is a deep sorrow for sin but lacks the positive note in repentance." (Morris)

d. You are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God: Because of this presumption on God's graciousness, Paul can rightly say that the moralist is treasuring up … wrath in the day of wrath.

i. The moralist thinks he is treasuring up merit with God as he condemns the "sinners" around him; actually, he only treasures up the wrath of God. "Just as men add to their treasure of wealth, so dost thou add to the treasures of punishment." (Poole)

ii. As men treasure up the wrath of God against them, what holds back the flood of wrath? God Himself! He holds it back out of His forbearance and longsuffering! "The figure is that of a load that God bears, which men heap up more and more, making heavier and heavier. The wonder of it all is that God holds any of it up even for a day; yet he holds up all its weight and does not let it crash down on the sinner's head." (Lenski)

e. In the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God: This explains part of the reason for God's ultimate judgment is also shown. In the first coming of Jesus, the loving character of God was revealed with greatest emphasis; at the second coming of Jesus, the righteous judgment of God will be revealed most clearly.

3. (6-10) God will judge the moralist because their works also fall short of God's perfect standard.

Who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

a. Will render to each one according to his deeds: This is an awesome and fearful thought, and it condemns the moralist as well as the obvious sinner.

b. Eternal life to those: If there was one who genuinely did good at all times, they could merit eternal life of their own accord - but there is none, because all, in some way or another are or have been or will be self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness.

c. Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil: Because all fall short of this standard of God's constant goodness, God's wrath will come to all who do evil - without respect to whether they are Jew or Gentile.

i. This judgment comes to the Jew first. If they are first in line for the gospel (Romans 1:16) and first in line for reward (Romans 2:10), then they are also first in line for judgment.

ii. The word indignation comes from the idea of "boiling up," thus having the meaning of a passionate outburst. The word wrath comes from the idea of a swelling which eventually bursts, and applies more to an anger that proceeds from one's settled nature.

B. God's judgment upon the Jew.

1. (11-13) God's principle of impartiality.

For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;

a. For there is no partiality with God: Partiality comes from two ancient Greek words put together - to receive and face. It means to judge things on the basis of externals or pre-conceived notions.

i. Some ancient rabbis taught that God showed partiality towards the Jews. They said: "God will judge the Gentiles with one measure and the Jews with another."

b. For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified: God's righteous judgment is not withheld because someone has heard the law; it is only held back if someone actually does the law.

i. The Jew - or the religious person - may think that he is saved because he has the law; but has he kept it? The Gentile may think that he is saved because he does not have the law, but has he kept the dictates of his own conscience?

ii. "People will be condemned, not because they have the law or do not have the law, but because they have sinned." (Morris)

c. As many as have sinned without law will also perish without law: Judgment for sin can come with or without the law.

2. (14-16) Possession of the law is no advantage to the Jew in the Day of Judgment.

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

a. Although not having the law, are a law to themselves: Paul explains why the Gentile can be condemned without the law. Their conscience (which is the work of the law written in their hearts) is enough to condemn - or, theoretically, enough to justify - them.

i. Written in their hearts: Many pagan authors of Paul's day referred to the "unwritten law" within man. They thought of it as something that points us to the right way. Though it is not embodied in written laws, it is in many ways more important than written laws.

ii. A law to themselves does not mean that these "obedient Gentiles" made up their own law (as we use the expression "law unto himself"), but that they were obedient to conscience, the work of the law residing in themselves.

iii. "He indeed shows that ignorance is in vain pretended as an excuse by the Gentiles, since they prove by their own deeds that they have some rule of righteousness." (Calvin)

b. Their thoughts accusing or else excusing them: In theory, a man might be justified ("excused") by obeying his conscience. Unfortunately, every man has violated his conscience (God's internal revelation to man), just as every man has violated God's written revelation.

i. While Paul says in Romans 2:14 that a Gentile, may, by nature do the things contained in the law; he is careful to not say that a Gentile could fulfill the requirements of the law by nature.

ii. Though God has His work within every man (resulting in conscience), man can corrupt that work, so that conscience varies from person to person, and our consciences can be damaged, and even restored in Christ.

iii. If our conscience is condemning us wrongly, we can take comfort in the idea that God is greater than our heart. (1 John 3:20)

c. Their conscience also bearing witness: People who have never heard God's word directly still have a moral compass that they are accountable to - the conscience.

i. "God is describing how He has constituted all men: there is a 'work' within them, making them morally conscious." (Newell)

ii. "He is not saying that the law is written on their hearts, as people often say, but that the work of the law, what the law requires of people, is written there." (Morris)

d. On the day when God will judge the secrets of men, no man can find refuge from God's judgment by claiming ignorance of His written revelation; violation of God's internal revelation is enough to condemn us all.

i. "God therefore will judge all nations according to the use and abuse they have made of this word, whether it was written in the heart, or written on tables of stone." (Clarke)

e. According to my gospel: Notice that the day of judgment was a part of Paul's gospel. He did not shrink from declaring man's absolute accountability to God.

i. "'My gospel.' Does not this show his courage? As much as to say, 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God onto salvation to every one that believeth.' He says, 'my gospel,' as a soldier speaks of 'my colors,' or of 'my king.' He resolves to bear this banner to victory, and to serve this royal truth even to the death." (Spurgeon)

f. The idea that God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ is distinctively Christian. The Jews taught that God the Father alone would judge the world, committing judgment to no one - not even the Messiah.

3. (17-20) The boast of the Jew.

Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.

a. Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law: Every "boast" of the Jew in this passage concerns the possession of law. The Jewish people of Paul's day were extremely proud and confident in the fact that God gave His holy law to them as a nation. They believed this confirmed their status as a specially chosen people, and thus insured their salvation.

b. Although the Jew should gratefully receive the law as a gift from God, Paul will show how mere possession of the law justifies no one.

4. (21-24) The indictment of the Jew.

You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.

a. You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? It comes down to this principle: "You have the law, do you keep it? You can see how others break the law, do you see how you break it also?"

i. Remember that much of rabbinical Judaism of Paul's day interpreted the law so that they thought they were completely justified by the law. Jesus exposed the error of such interpretations. (Matthew 5:19-48)

ii. God applies His law to both our actions and our attitudes. Sometimes we only want our attitudes evaluated, and sometimes only our actions. God will hold us accountable for both motives and actions.

iii. "Hypocrites can talk of religion, as if their tongues did run upon patterns, they are fair professors, but foul sinners; as was that carnal cardinal Cremensis, the pope's legate, sent hither, A.D. 1114, to interdict priests' marriages, and being taken in the act with a common strumpet, he excused it by saying he was no priest himself, but a corrector of them." (Trapp)

b. You who abhor idols, do you rob temples: Morris on the idea of robbing temples: "Clearly some people held that a Jew might well make profits from dishonest practices connected with idolatry, and Paul may well have had this in mind."

c. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you: Paul reminds the Jew that God has said in the Old Testament that the failure of the Jew to obey the law has caused the Gentile to blaspheme God.

5. (25-29) The irrelevance of circumcision.

For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

a. For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law: Paul recognizes that a Jew may protest, and say that his salvation is based on the fact that he is a descendant of Abraham, proven by circumcision. Paul rightly answers that this is irrelevant in regard to justification.

i. The Jew believed that his circumcision guaranteed his salvation. He might be punished in the world to come, but could never be lost.

ii. In Paul's day, some Rabbis taught that Abraham sat at the entrance of Hell and made certain that none of his circumcised descendants went there. Some Rabbis also taught "God will judge the Gentiles with one measure and the Jews with another" and "All Israelites will have part in the world to come."

iii. Circumcision (or baptism - or any ritual in itself) doesn't save anyone. In the ancient world, Egyptians also circumcised their boys but it did not make them followers of the true God. Even in Abraham's day, Ishmael, the son of the flesh, was circumcised, but it did not make him a son of the covenant.

iv. Circumcision and baptism do about the same thing that a label on a can does. If the outer label doesn't match with what is on the inside, something is wrong! If there are carrots inside the can, you can put a label says "Peas" but it doesn't change what is inside the can. Being born again changes what is inside the can, and then you can put the appropriate label on the outside.

v. Of course, this is not a new thought. The Law of Moses itself teaches this principle: Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. (Deuteronomy 10:16)

b. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law: If a Gentile were to keep the righteous requirement of the law (through his conscience, as Romans 2:15 shows) within his heart, would he not be justified, instead of the circumcised Jew who did not keep the law? The point is emphasized: having the law or having a ceremony isn't enough. God requires righteousness.

i. Morris quoting Manson: "If they are loyal to the good they know, they will be acceptable to God; but it is a very big 'if'."

c. And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? This is God's answer to the one who says, "What about the Pygmy in Africa who has never heard the gospel?" God will judge that Pygmy by what he has heard, and how he has lived by it. Of course, this means that the Pygmy will be guilty before God, because no one has perfectly lived by their conscience, or perfectly responded to what we can know of God through creation.

i. The problem of the "innocent native" is that we can't find an innocent native anywhere.

ii. "What about the Pygmy in Africa who hasn't heard the gospel?" is a good question, but there are two far more important questions:

- What about you who hear the gospel, but reject it? What excuse is there for you?

- What about you, who are commanded to take the gospel to that Pygmy in Africa (Matthew 28:19), but refuse to do it?

d. Whose praise is not from men but from God: All the outward signs of religion may earn us praise from men, but they will not earn us praise from God. The evidence of our rightness with God is not contained in outward signs or works, and it is not assured because of our parentage; the evidence is found in the work of God in our hearts, which shows itself in fruit.

e. William Newell summarizes Romans 2 with "Seven Great Principles of God's Judgment" that are worth noting:

- God's judgment is according to truth (Romans 2:2)
- God's judgment is according to accumulated guilt (Romans 2:5)
- God's judgment is according to works (Romans 2:6)
- God's judgment is without partiality (Romans 2:11)
- God's judgment is according to performance, not knowledge (Romans 2:13)
- God's judgment reaches the secrets of the heart (Romans 2:16)
- God's judgment is according to reality, not religious profession (Romans 2:17-29

 

Romans 3

Justified Freely by His Grace
A. The righteousness of God's judgments.

1. (1-2) The advantage of the Jewish people.

What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.

a. What advantage then has the Jew: Paul has carefully explained in Romans 2 that the possession of the law or circumcision will not save a Jewish person. If this is the case, then what is the advantage of being "God's chosen nation"?

i. After all, if there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:11), what good is it to be Jewish?

b. Much in every way! Paul knows there are many advantages God gave to the Jewish people. In particular, He entrusted them with the oracles of God, which speaks of God's written revelation before the time of Jesus. He gave the Jewish people His Word, and that is an indescribable gift.

i. "This was their prime privilege, that they were God's library-keepers, that this heavenly treasure was concredited to them." (Trapp)

ii. Paul will later expand on the advantage of the Jewish people in Romans 9:4, explaining that Israel also had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises.

iii. Poole on the word oracles: "Profane writers make this word to signify the answer that was given by the demons, or heathen gods; and yet the Holy Ghost doth not disdain to make use of this word (as well as divers others,) though abused to heathenish superstition."

2. (3-4) Jewish unbelief does not make God wrong.

For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged."

a. For what if some did not believe? The fact that the Jewish people as a whole to that point had rejected the gospel did not mean that God's faithfulness to them was in vain. It did not mean that God's work was futile or without effect.

i. "I have to say, with Paul, 'What if some did not believe?' It is no new thing; for there have always been some who have rejected the revelation of God. What then? You and I had better go on believing, and testing for ourselves, and proving the faithfulness of God, and living upon Christ our Lord, even though we see another set of doubters, and another, and yet another ad infinitum. The gospel is no failure, as many of us know." (Spurgeon)

b. Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar: Instead, we are reminded that God will be justified in all His actions. In the end, it will be demonstrated that even our unrighteousness somehow proclaimed His righteousness and glory, even if only in judgment.

i. "Should any man say that the promise of God had failed toward him, let him examine his heart and his ways, and he will find that he has departed out of that way in which alone God could, consistent with his holiness and truth, fulfill the promise." (Clarke)

ii. Spurgeon on let God be true but every man a liar: "It is a strange, strong expression; but it is none too strong. If God says one thing, and every man in the world says another, God is true, and all men are false. God speaks the truth, and cannot lie. God cannot change; his word, like himself, is immutable. We are to believe God's truth if nobody else believes it. The general consensus of opinion is nothing to a Christian. He believes God's word, and he thinks more of that than of the universal opinion of men."

3. (5) Raising an objection regarding the unrighteousness of man and the righteousness of God.

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)

a. But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Paul brings the counter-argument of an opponent: "If my unrighteousness will demonstrate God's righteousness, how can God judge me? My sin ultimately serves to bring Him more glory, and that is good!"

b. Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? Paul was familiar with the line of thinking that says, "God is in control of everything. Even my evil will ultimately demonstrate His righteousness. Therefore God is unjust if He inflicts His wrath on me, because I'm just a pawn in His hand."

i. In theory, the most dramatic example of someone who might ask this question is Judas. Can you hear Judas make his case? "Lord, I know that I betrayed Jesus, but You used it for good. In fact, if I hadn't done what I did, Jesus wouldn't have gone to the cross at all. What I did even fulfilled the Scriptures. How can You judge me at all?" The answer to Judas might go like this: "Yes, God used your wickedness but it was still your wickedness. There was no good or pure motive in your heart at all. It is no credit to you that God brought good out of your evil. You stand guilty before God."

c. When Paul says I speak as a man, he isn't trying to imply that he no longer speaks by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and proper apostolic authority. He is explaining that only as a man - a fallen man at that - would anyone dare to question God's justice.

4. (6-8) Paul's answer to the objection raised.

Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?; as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

a. Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? Paul dismisses the question of his opponent easily. If things were such as his opponent suggested, then God could judge no one!

i. It is true that God will use even the unrighteousness of man to accomplish His work and bring praise to His name - Judas' betrayal of Jesus is a perfect example. Nevertheless, part of the way God glorifies Himself in man's sin is by righteously judging that unrighteousness.

b. How will God judge the world? For both Paul and his readers it was a given that a judgment day was coming, when some would be acquitted and some condemned. He didn't need to contest this point; it was simply understood in that culture.

i. Paul understood that God would judge the world, both Jew and Gentile. The Jews of Paul's day figured that God would condemn the Gentile for his sin, but save the Jew despite his sin.

c. For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? Paul re-states the objection of an imaginary questioner: "If God will glorify Himself through my lie, how can He judge me, since I seem to indirectly increase His glory?"

d. Let us do evil that good may come: This was a perversion of Paul's doctrine of justification by faith, and an extension of the objection of his imaginary questioner. If you take the thinking of Paul's adversary far enough, you end up saying, "Let's sin as much as we can so God can be glorified even more." This shows us that one way to examine a teaching is to extend its meaning and consequences and see where you end up.

i. Of course, let us do evil that good may come was not Paul's teaching. He makes it clear that we are slanderously reported to teach this. Still, it is possible to see how this accusation came as Paul freely preached forgiveness and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, not works.

ii. Most Christian preaching is so far from the true gospel of free grace that Paul preached that there is no way anyone could even slanderously report that they taught "let us do evil that good may come." If we find ourselves sometimes accused of preaching a gospel that is "too open" and too centered on faith and grace and God's work then we find ourselves in good company with Paul.

e. Their condemnation is just: Paul will not even answer such an absurd twisting of his gospel. He simply says of those who would teach such things or accuse Paul of teaching them, their condemnation is just. God rightly condemns anyone who teaches or believes such a thing.

i. Twisting the glorious free gift of God in Jesus into a supposed license to sin is perhaps the summit of man's depravity. It takes the most beautiful gift of God and perverts it and mocks it. This twisting is so sinful Paul saves it for last, because it is beyond the depravity of the pagan (Romans 1:24-32), beyond the hypocrisy of the moralist (Romans 2:1-5), and beyond the false confidence of the Jew (Romans 2:17-29).

B. Conclusion: the universal guilt of mankind before God.

1. (9) The guilt of both Jew and Gentile before God.

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

a. Are we better than they? Not at all: Since Paul was Jewish by birth and heritage (Philippians 3:4-6), when we says "we" he means "we Jews." The point is that by nature, the Jewish person is no more right with God than the pagan or the moralist. Paul has demonstrated that the pagan, the moralist and the Jew are all under sin and therefore, under condemnation.

b. Under sin is a powerful phrase. It speaks of our slavery to sin, literally meaning "sold under sin." By nature every person knows what it is like to be a slave to sin, both Jews and Greeks.

i. Morris on under sin: "He is regarding sin as a tyrant ruler, so that sinners are 'under' it (JB, 'under sin's dominion'); they cannot break free."

ii. "Under the power of sin, but chiefly under the guilt of sin." (Poole)

2. (10-18) The Old Testament witnesses to the universal depravity and guilt of mankind.

As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one."
"Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit";
"The poison of asps is under their lips"; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known."
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."

a. These quotations from the Psalms (Psalms 14:1-3; 5:9, 140:3, 10:7 and 36:1) and from Isaiah 59:7-8 all support the opening statement: There is none righteous, no, not one.

i. Paul looks at the human condition from top to bottom. He begins with head and moves all the way down to the feet. Warren Wiersbe calls this passage "An X-ray study of the lost sinner, from head to foot."

ii. This look at the human condition is depressing. What's the point? The Apostle Paul wants us to understand our complete inability to save ourselves. The fall touches every part of man's being, and the inventory of body parts corrupted by the fall demonstrates this.

b. There is none righteous, no, not one: When God finds none righteous, it is because there are none. It isn't as if there were some and God couldn't see them. There has never been a truly righteous man apart from Jesus Christ. "Even Adam was not righteous: he was innocent - not knowing good and evil." (Newell)

c. There is none who seeks after God: We deceive ourselves into thinking that man, on his own, really does seek after God. Don't all the religion and rituals and practices from the beginning of time demonstrate that man seeks after God? Not at all. If man initiates the search then he doesn't seek the true God, the God of the Bible. Instead he seeks an idol that he makes himself.

i. "You have gone through this form of worship, but you have not sought after God. I am sick of this empty religiousness. We see it everywhere; it is not communion with God, it is not getting to God; indeed, God is not in it all." (Spurgeon)

d. They have together become unprofitable: The word unprofitable has the idea of rotten fruit. It speaks of something that was permanently bad and therefore useless.

e. With these references from the Psalms, Paul calls virtually every part of man's body into guilt: throat,tongue,lips,mouth,feet,eyes are all shown to be filled with sin and rebellion against God.

i. Their feet are swift to shed blood: "For further details, read your daily papers!" (Newell) For example, the Los Angeles Times reported that in 1992 murders reached a record level of 800 in Los Angeles County.

f. There is no fear of God before their eyes: This summarizes the entire thought. Every sin and rebellion against God happens because we do not have a proper respect for Him. Wherever there is sin, there is no fear of God.

i. John Calvin on the fear of God: "In short, as it is a bridle to restrain our wickedness, so when it is wanting, we feel at liberty to indulge every kind of licentiousness."

3. (19-20) Summation: the law cannot save us from our sin and the penalty it deserves.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

a. Whatever the law says: Paul points out that this horrific description of man's utter sinfulness come to us in the law; and it is intended for those under the law, to silence every critic and to demonstrate the universal guilt of mankind - that all the world may become guilty before God.

i. "We may add, that though all the vices here enumerated are not found conspicuously in every individual, yet they may be justly and truly ascribed to human nature, as we have already observed." (Calvin)

b. It says to those who are under the law: If God speaks this way to those who had the law, and attempted to do the law, it is evident that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight.

i. Remember that many Jewish people of Paul's day took every passage of the Old Testament describing evil and applied it only to the Gentiles - not to themselves. Paul makes it clear that God speaks to those who are under the law.

c. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight: The law cannot save us. The law can't justify anyone. It is useful in giving us the knowledge of sin, but it cannot save us.

i. Since the time of Adam and Eve, people have tried to justify themselves by the deeds of the law. In the Garden of Eden Adam tried to make himself presentable to God by making coverings out of fig leaves - and he failed. In Job, the oldest book of the Bible, the problem is presented clearly: how can a man be righteous before God? (Job 9:2) God makes part of the answer clear here through Paul - the answer is not in the performance of good works, in the deeds of the law.

ii. How we need to deeply understand this - that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified!

- This means that the law, having been broken, can only condemn us - it can never save us

- This means that even we could now begin to perfectly keep the law of God it could not make up for past disobedience, or remove present guilt

- This means that keeping law is NOT God's way of salvation or of blessing under the New Covenant

d. For by the law is the knowledge of sin: J.B. Phillip's paraphrase of this phrase is striking: it is the straight-edge of the Law that shows us how crooked we are.

i. "Lest any should think that the law hereupon is useless, he goes on to show its use, but a quite contrary one to what they intended. It convinceth us of our guilt, and therefore is far from being our righteousness." (Poole)

C. The revelation of the righteousness of God.

1. (21) The revelation of righteousness.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

a. But now provides the most glorious transition from the judgment of Romans 3:20 to the justification of Romans 3:21.

i. But now speaks of the newness of God's work in Jesus Christ - it really is a New Covenant. Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets reminds us that there is still continuity with God's work in former times.

b. Apart from the law: The law cannot save us, but God revealed a righteousness that would save us, apart from the law. This is the essence of God's plan of salvation in Jesus Christ: it is a salvation that is offered apart from the law, apart from our own earning and deserving, apart from our own merits.

c. Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets: This righteousness is not a novelty. Paul didn't "invent" it. It was predicted long ago, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. The Old Testament said this righteousness was coming.

d. Apart from the law: It isn't that the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the Old Testament, but that it is revealed apart from the principle of law. It is apart from a legal relationship to God, based on the idea of earning and deserving merit before Him.

i. "The Greek puts to the very front this great phrase apart from law (choris nomou) and this sets forth most strongly the altogether separateness of this Divine righteousness from any law-performance, any works of man, whatsoever." (Newell)

ii. God's righteousness is not offered to us as something to take up the slack between our ability to keep the law and God's perfect standard. It is not given to supplement our own righteousness, it is given completely apart from our own attempted righteousness.

2. (22) How this righteousness is communicated to man.

Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

a. To all and on all who believe: In Romans 3:21, Paul told us how this righteousness does not come. It does not come through the deeds of the law, it is apart from the law. Now Paul tells us how this saving righteousness does come. It is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.

b. Through faith in Jesus Christ: The righteousness of God is not ours by faith; it is ours through faith. We do not earn righteousness by our faith. We receive righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

i. Through faith "points to the fact that faith is not a merit, earning salvation. It is no more than the means through which the gift is given." (Morris)

ii. "But faith is not 'trusting' or 'expecting' God to do something, but relying on His testimony concerning the person of Christ as His Son, and the work of Christ for us on the cross … After saving faith, the life of trust begins … trust is always looking forward to what God will do; but faith sees that what God says has been done, and believes God's Word, having the conviction that it is true, and true for ourselves." (Newell)

c. For the there is no difference: There is no other way to obtain this righteousness. This righteousness is not earned through obedience to the law; it is a received righteousness, gained through faith in Jesus Christ.

i. "There is a little book entitled, Every man his own lawyer. Well, nowadays, according to some people, it seems as if every man is to be his own saviour; but if I had, say; a dozen gospels, and I had to sort them out, and give the right gospel to the right man, what a fix I should be in! I believe that, oftentimes, I should be giving your gospel to someone else, and someone else's gospel to you; and what a muddle it would all be! But now we have one universal cure … The blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ will save every man who trusts him, for 'there is no difference.'" (Spurgeon)

 

Romans 4

Abraham and David Demonstrate Righteousness Apart from Works
A. Abraham is declared righteous through faith.

1. (1-3) Abraham was not justified by works, but declared righteous through faith.

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

a. What then shall we say: In building on the thought begun in Romans 3:31 Paul asks the question, "Does the idea of justification through faith, apart from the works of the law, make what God did in the Old Testament irrelevant?"

b. What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found: In answering that question, Paul looks at Abraham, the most esteemed man among the Jewish people of his day - even greater than the "George Washington" of the Jewish people.

c. For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about: If anyone could be justified by works, they would have something to boast about. Nevertheless such boasting is nothing before God (but not before God).

i. This boasting is nothing before God because even if works could justify a man he would still, in some way, fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

ii. This boasting is nothing because before God, every pretense is stripped away and it is evident that no one can really be justified by works.

d. For what does the Scripture say? The Old Testament does not say Abraham was declared righteous because of his works. Instead, Genesis 15:6 says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

i. Paul makes it clear: Abraham's righteousness did not come from his performance of good works, but from his belief in God. It was a righteousness obtained through faith.

ii. Generally, the Jewish teachers of Paul's day believed that Abraham was justified by his works, by keeping the law. Ancient passages from the rabbis says: "We find that Abraham our father had performed the whole Law before it was given" and "Abraham was perfect in all his deeds with the Lord." The rabbis argued that Abraham kept the law perfectly, even before it was given, in that he kept it by intuition or anticipation.

iii. The Apostle Paul does not say that Abraham was made righteous in all of his doings, but God accounted Abraham as righteous. Our justification is not God making us perfectly righteous, but counting us as perfectly righteous. After we are counted righteous, then God begins making us truly righteous, culminating in our resurrection.

iv. "Counted is logizomai. It was used in early secular documents; 'put down to one's account, let my revenues be placed on deposit at the storehouse; I now give orders generally with regard to all payments actually made or credited to the government.' Thus, God put to Abraham's account, placed on deposit for him, credited to him, righteousness … Abraham possessed righteousness in the same manner as a person would possess a sum of money placed in his account in a bank." (Wuest)

v. Genesis 15:6 does not tell us how other men accounted Abraham. Instead, it tells us how God accounted him. "Moses [in Genesis] does not, indeed, tell us what men thought of him [Abraham], but how he was accounted before the tribunal of God." (Calvin)

vi. Remember that righteousness is also more than the absence of evil and guilt. It is a positive good, meaning that God does not only declare us innocent, but righteous.

2. (4-5) A distinction made between grace and works.

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

a. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace: The idea of grace stands opposite to the principle of works; grace has to do with receiving the freely given gift of God, works has to do with earning our merit before God.

i. Wuest on charis, the ancient Greek word translated grace: "Signified in classical authors a favor done out of the spontaneous generosity of the heart without any expectation or return. Of course, this favor was always done to one's friend, never to an enemy … But when charis comes into the New Testament, it takes an infinite leap forward, for the favor God did at Calvary was for those who hated Him."

b. Not counted as grace but as debt: A system of works seeks to put God in debt to us, to have God owe us His favor because of our good behavior. In works-thinking, God owes us salvation or blessing because of our good works.

i. God isn't praising laziness here. "The antithesis is not simply between the worker and the non-worker but between the worker and person who does not work but believes." (Murray)

c. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness: Righteousness can never be accounted to the one who approaches God on the principle of works. Instead it is given to the one who believes on Him who justifies the ungodly.

d. Him who justifies the ungodly: This is who God justifies - the ungodly. We might expect God would only justify a godly man but because of what Jesus did on the cross, God can justify the ungodly.

i. It isn't as if God is happy with our ungodly condition. We are not justified because of our ungodliness, but despite our ungodliness.

ii. Morris quoting Denney: "The paradoxical phrase, Him that justifieth the ungodly, does not suggest that justification is a fiction, whether legal or of any other sort, but that it is a miracle."

e. Just as Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness, so our faith is accounted for righteousness. This was not some special arrangement meant for Abraham alone. We can enter into this relationship with God also.

i. By this we understand that there are not two ways of salvation - saved by works or law-keeping in the Old Testament, and saved by grace through faith in the New Testament. Everyone who has ever been saved - Old or New Testament - is saved by grace through faith, through their relationship of trusting love with God. Because of the New Covenant we have benefits of salvation that the Old Testament saint did not have, but we do not have a different manner of salvation.

3. (6-8) David and the blessedness of justification through faith.

Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin."

a. Just as David also describes: King David of the Old Testament knew what it was like to be a guilty sinner; he knew the seriousness of sin and how good it is to be truly forgiven. He knew the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. If David were judged on works alone, the righteous God must condemn him. Nevertheless he knew by experience that blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven.

i. "No sinner, and try he ever so hard, can possibly carry his own sins away and come back cleansed of guilt. No amount of money, no science, no inventive skill, no armies of millions, nor any other earthly power can carry away from the sinner one little sin and its guilt. Once it is committed, every sin and its guilt cling to the sinner as close as does his own shadow, cling to all eternity unless God carries them away." (Lenski)

b. To whom God imputes righteousness apart from works … blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin: David agrees with Abraham regarding the idea of an imputed righteousness, a goodness that is given, not earned.

i. "Our adversaries the papists oppose the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us; they cavil at the very word … and yet the apostle useth the word ten times in this chapter." (Poole)

c. In the Psalm quoted (Psalm 32:1-2), David speaks of the blessedness, not of the one who is justified through works, but of the one who is cleansed through imputation. This is centered on what God places upon us (the righteousness of Jesus), not on what we can do for God.

4. (9-12) Abraham was counted righteous before he was circumcised; therefore he was not counted righteous because he was circumcised.

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

a. Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? If we are counted righteous by God because of faith, not because of circumcision (or any other ritual), then the blessedness mentioned in Romans 4:7 can be given to the uncircumcised Gentiles by faith.

b. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Abraham was counted as righteous in Genesis 15:6. He did not receive the covenant of circumcision until Genesis 17, which was at least 14 years later. Therefore his righteousness wasn't based on circumcision, but on faith.

c. The faith which he had while still uncircumcised: In fact, Abraham, the father of all those who believe, was declared righteous while he was still uncircumcised! How can anyone then say (as some did in Paul's day) that Gentiles must be circumcised before God declares them righteous?

i. For the Jewish people of Paul's day, the significance of circumcision was more than social. It was the entry point for a life lived under the Law of Moses: And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. (Galatians 5:3)

d. That he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised … who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised: The Jews of Paul's day wanted to use circumcision to declare that they were the true decedents of Abraham. Paul insists that to have Abraham as your father, you must walk in the steps of the faith that Abraham walked in.

i. "Our father Abraham" is an important phrase, one that the ancient Jews jealously guarded. They did not allow a circumcised Gentile convert to Judaism refer to Abraham as "our father" in the synagogue. A Gentile convert had to call Abraham "your father" and only natural born Jews could call Abraham "our father." Paul throws out that distinction, and says that through faith, all can say, "our father Abraham."

ii. It must have been a shock for the Jewish readers of Romans to see that Paul calls Abraham the father of uncircumcised people! Faith, not circumcision, is the vital link to Abraham. It is far more important to have Abraham's faith (and the righteousness imputed to him because of it) than it is to have Abraham's circumcision.

iii. William Barclay explains that the Jewish teachers of Paul's day had a saying "What is written of Abraham is also written of his children," meaning that promises given to Abraham extend to his descendants. Paul heartily agreed with this principle, and extended the principle of being justified by faith to all Abraham's spiritual descendants, those who believe, who also walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham.

5. (13-15) God's promise to Abraham was based on the principle of faith, not law or works.

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

a. For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law: Since all God's dealings with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob happened before the giving of the Mosaic Law, we can't say they were based on the law. Instead, they are based on God's declaration of Abraham's righteousness through faith.

i. "Faith is the ground of God's blessing. Abraham was a blessed man, indeed, but he became heir of the world on another principle entirely - simple faith." (Newell)

b. For the promise … through the righteousness of faith: The law cannot bring us into the blessings of God's promises. This is not because the law is bad, but because we are unable to keep it.

c. Because the law brings about wrath: Our inability to keep the law (our transgression) means that it becomes essentially a vehicle of God's wrath towards us, if we regard it as the principle by which we are justified and relate to God.

d. How can Paul say, where there is no law there is no transgression? Because "Transgression is the right word for overstepping a line, and this for breaking a clearly defined commandment." (Morris) Where there is no line, there is no actual transgression.

i. There is sin that is not the "crossing of the line" of the Law of Moses. The root of sin isn't in breaking the law, but in breaking trust with God; with denying His loving, caring purpose in every command He gives. Before Adam sinned he broke trust with God - therefore God's plan of redemption is centered on a relationship of trusting love - faith - instead of law-keeping. When we center our relationship with God on law-keeping instead of trusting love, we go against His whole plan.

B. Following Abraham's example.

1. (16) Justification according to grace, through faith.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

a. It is of faith that it might be according to grace: Faith is related to grace in the same way works is related to law. Grace and law are the principles, and faith and works are the means by which we pursue those principles for our relationship with God.

i. To speak technically, we are not saved by faith. We are saved by God's grace, and grace is appropriated by faith.

b. It is of faith: Salvation is of faith, and nothing else. We can only receive salvation by the principle of grace through faith. Grace cannot be obtained through works, whether they be past, present, or promised because by definition grace is given without regard to anything in the one who receives it.

i. "Grace and faith are congruous, and will draw together in the same chariot, but grace and merit are contrary the one to the other and pull opposite ways, and therefore God has not chosen to yoke them together. He will not build with incongruous materials, or daub with untempered mortar. He will not make an image partly of gold and partly of clay, nor weave a linsey-woolsey garment: his work is all of a piece and all of grace." (Spurgeon)

c. So that the promise might be sure to all the seed: The promise can only be sure if it is according to grace. If law was the basis of our salvation, then our salvation would depend on our performance in keeping the law - and no one can keep the law good enough to be saved by it. A law-promise of salvation can never be sure.

i. If the promise "were of the law, it would be unsure and uncertain, because of man's weakness, who is not able to perform it." (Poole)

d. But also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all: If our relationship with God is according to grace (not circumcision or law-keeping), then that relationship is for those who are of the faith of Abraham, even if they are not of his lineage.

i. A Gentile could say, "I am not a Jew, I am not of the law; but I am of the faith of Abraham," and he would be just as saved as a Jewish believer in Jesus would be.

e. The father of us all: The fulfillment of the promise in Genesis 17:4-5 is found not only in Abraham's descendants through Isaac, but especially in his role as being the father of us all who believe - and those believers come from every nation under heaven.

2. (17-18) The life-giving power of the God Abraham believed in.

(As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed; God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."

a. So that he became the father of many nations: Even as it took a supernatural life-giving work to make Abraham the physical father of many nations, it also took a supernatural life-giving work to make him the spiritual father of many nations.

b. God's life-giving power is demonstrated in the manner in which He can give life to the dead and call those things which do not exist (such as our righteousness) as though they did (by counting us righteous).

i. If God could call the dead womb of Sarah to life, he can call those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) to new life in Jesus.

ii. "I'm greatly comforted when God speaks about me as righteous, justified, glorified, holy, pure, and saintly. God can talk about such things before they exist, because He knows they will exist." (Smith)

c. This life-giving power was accomplished in Abraham as he, contrary to hope, in hope believed. The life-giving power was evident both naturally and spiritually.

i. Abraham's example also helps us to understand the nature of faith. The conception of Abraham's son Isaac was a miracle, but it was not an immaculate conception. Abraham's faith did not mean that he did nothing and just waited for God to create a child in Sarah's womb. Abraham and Sarah had marital relations and trusted God for a miraculous result. This shows us that faith does not mean doing nothing, but doing all with trust and reliance on God and His miraculous work.

ii. "All true believers, like Abraham, obey. Obedience is faith in action. You are to walk in the steps of the faith of father Abraham. His faith did not sit still, it took steps; and you must take these steps also by obeying God because you believe him. That faith which has no works with it is a dead faith, and will justify no one." (Spurgeon)

iii. "Sense corrects imagination, reason corrects sense, but faith corrects both. It will not be, saith sense; it cannot be, saith reason; it both can and will be, saith faith, for I have a promise for it." (Trapp)

iv. "But some one may object and say, that it is not beyond the course of nature that a man should beget children at that age. Though I allow that such a thing is not a prodigy, it is yet very little short of a miracle." (Calvin)

3. (19-22) The character of Abraham's faith.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."

a. Not being weak in faith: Abraham's faith was strong but it was also strengthened. He was strengthened in faith.

i. The idea seems to be that Abraham was strengthened in hisfaith; but Paul could also mean that Abraham was strengthened by hisfaith - certainly both were true.

ii. How we need to be strengthened in faith! "Dear brother, little faith will save thee if it be true faith, but there are many reasons why you should seek an increase of it." (Spurgeon)

iii. Spurgeon knew that ministers and preachers especially needed to be strengthened in faith. He sometimes shared his own struggles in this area from the pulpit, but wanted to make it clear that his struggles in faith should never be indulged: "Whenever, dear hearers, you catch any of us who are teachers doubting and fearing, do not pity us, but scold us. We have no right to be in Doubting Castle. Pray do not visit us there. Follow us as far as we follow Christ, but if we get into the horrible Slough of Despond, come and pull us out by the hair of our heads if necessary, but do not fall into it yourselves." (Spurgeon)

iv. "I do not think we shall have many conversions unless we expect God to bless the word, and feel certain that he will do so. We must not wonder and be astonished if we hear of a dozen or two conversions, but let the astonishment be that thousands are not converted when they hear such divine truth, and when we ask the Holy Spirit to attend it with divine energy. God will bless us in proportion to our faith. It is the rule of his kingdom - 'According to your faith so be it unto you.' O God, give thy ministers more faith! Let us believe thee firmly!" (Spurgeon)

b. He did not consider his own body, already dead: Abraham, in faith, did not look to circumstances (his own body and the deadness of Sarah's womb) but he looked at the promise of God.

i. In Romans 4:19, there is textual uncertainly as to if we should read he considered his body as good as dead or if we should read he did not consider his own body. Either is possible, though the second seems a better choice.

c. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief: His faith did not waver; and it gave glory to God. Though it was a huge challenge, Abraham remained steadfast in faith.

i. "When there is no contest, it is true, no one, as I have said, denies that God can do all things; but as soon as anything comes in the way to impede the course of God's promise, we cast down God's power from its eminence." (Calvin)

d. Being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform: Abraham's faith came because he had been fully convinced of God's ability to perform what He has promised.

i. Is your God too small? The God of Abraham was able to perform what He had promised, and Abraham was fully convinced of this.

ii. Some people don't come to Jesus - or go further with Him - because they are not fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. They think, "It is fine for them but it won't work for me." This thinking is a devilish attack on faith, and must be rejected.

e. This kind of faith sees the work of God done. It sees the work of God done in the immediate (Isaac was born in fulfillment of the promise) and in the eternal (it was accounted to him for righteousness).

4. (23-25) Abraham's justification and our own.

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

a. It was not written for his sake alone: It wasn't only for Abraham's benefit that God declared him righteous through faith; he is an example that we are invited to follow - it is also for us. Paul's confidence is glorious: It shall be imputed to us who believe; this wasn't just for Abraham, but for us also.

b. Who believe in Him who raised up Jesus: When we talk about faith and saving faith in Jesus, it is important to emphasize that we mean believing that His work on the cross (delivered up because of our offenses) and triumph over sin and death (raised because of our justification) is what saves us. There are many false-faiths that can never save, and only faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross and through empty tomb can save us.

- Faith in the historical events of the life of Jesus will not save
- Faith in the beauty of Jesus' life will not save
- Faith in the accuracy or goodness of Jesus' teaching will not save
- Faith in the deity of Jesus, and in His Lordship will not save
c. Jesus died because of our offenses, but was raised up because of our justification. The resurrection has an essential place in our redemption because it demonstrates God the Father's perfect satisfaction with the Son's work on the cross, proving that it was in fact a perfect sacrifice made by One who remained perfect, even though bearing the sin of the world.

i. Delivered up because of our offenses: The ancient Greek word translated delivered (paradidomi) was used of casting people into prison or delivering them to justice. "Here it speaks of the judicial act of God the Father delivering God the Son to the justice that required the payment of the penalty for human sin." (Wuest)

ii. "Jesus' resurrection always includes his sacrificial death but it brings our the all-sufficiency of his death. If death had held him, he would have failed; since he was raised from death, his sacrifice sufficed, God set his seal upon it by raising him up." (Lenski)

iii. "Christ did meritoriously work our justification and salvation by his death and passion, but the efficacy and perfection thereof with respect to us depend on his resurrection … This one verse is an abridgement of the whole gospel." (Poole)

d. In this chapter, Paul has clearly demonstrated that in no way does the Old Testament contradict the gospel of salvation by grace through faith. Instead it is in fulfillment of the Old Testament, and Abraham, justified through faith, is our pattern.

 

Romans 5

Benefits of Being Justified through Faith
"In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text." (Martin Luther)

A. The benefits of believing.

1. (1-2) Peace and a standing of grace.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

a. Therefore, having been justified by faith: To this point in the Book of Romans, Paul has convinced us all that the only way of salvation is to be justified by grace, through faith. Now he will tell us what the practical benefits of this are, explaining that it is more than an interesting idea.

i. Justified by faith speaks of a legal decree. Romans 1:18-3:20 found us guilty before the courts of God's law, God's glory, and our own conscience. Then Paul explained how because of what Jesus did for us, the righteousness of God is given to all who believe. The guilty sentence is transformed into a sentence of justified, and justified by faith.

b. First, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because the price has been paid in full by the work of Jesus on the cross, God's justice towards us is eternally satisfied.

i. This is not the peace of God spoken of in other places (such as Philippians 4:7). This is peace with God; the battle between God and us is finished - and He won, winning us. Some never knew they were out of peace with God, but they were like drivers ignoring the red lights of a police car in their rear-view mirror - they are in trouble even if they don't know it, and it will soon catch up to them.

ii. This peace can only come through our Lord Jesus Christ. He and His work is our entire ground for peace. In fact, Jesus is our peace. (Ephesians 2:14)

iii. Remember that the Bible doesn't say we have peace with the devil, peace with the world, peace with the flesh, or peace with sin. Life is still a battle for the Christian but it is no longer a battle against God, it is fighting for Him. Some Christians are tempted to believe the battle against God was almost a better place to be, and that is a dangerous and damnable lie.

iv. "I am delighted to find that sin stings you, and that you hate it. The more hatred of sin the better. A sin-hating soul is a God-loving soul. If sin never distresses you, then God has never favored you." (Spurgeon)

c. Into this grace in which we stand: Second, we have a standing in grace - in God's unmerited favor. This grace is given through Jesus and gained by faith.

i. Grace (God's undeserved favor towards us) is not only the means by which we are saved, it is also a description of our present standing before God. It is not only the beginning principle of the Christian life it is also the continuing principle of the Christian life. "We stand translates a perfect tense, used in this sense of the present, and with the thought of a continuing attitude." (Morris)

ii. Many Christians begin in grace, but then think that they will go on to perfection and maturity by dealing with God on the principle of law - on the ideas of earning and deserving. Paul spoke against this very point in Galatians 3:2-3 and Galatians 5:1-4.

iii. A standing in grace reassures us: God's present attitude towards the believer in Christ Jesus is one of favor, seeing them in terms of joy, beauty and pleasure. He doesn't just love us; He likes us because we are in Jesus.

iv. Standing in grace means that:

- I don't have to prove I am worthy of God's love
- God is my friend
- The door of access is permanently open to Him
- I am free from the "score sheet" - the account is settled in Jesus
- I spend more time praising God and less time hating myself
v. "The former rebels are not merely forgiven by having their due punishment remitted; they are brought into a place of high favour with God - this grace in which we stand." (Bruce)

vi. The Proper Attitude of Man under Grace (William Newell)

- To believe, and consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret
- To refuse to make "resolutions" and "vows"; for that is to trust in the flesh
- To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth
- To testify of God's goodness, at all times
- To be certain of God's future favor; yet to be ever more tender in conscience toward Him
- To rely on God's chastening hand as a mark of His kindness
- A man under grace, if like Paul, has no burdens regarding himself; but many about others
d. Through whom also we have access by faith: Our access into this standing of grace is only by faith, and through Jesus; we cannot work ourselves into this standing. The access isn't just into a standing of grace, but into the very courts of heaven. This is a blessing beyond peace with God. "One may be reconciled to his prince, and yet not to be brought into his presence." (Poole)

i. Morris on access: "The idea is that of introduction to the presence-chamber of a monarch. The rendering access is inadequate, as it leaves out of sight the fact that we do not come in our own strength, but need an 'introducer' - Christ."

ii. Wuest quotes Thayer regarding access: "That friendly relation with God whereby we are acceptable to Him and have assurance that He is favorably disposed towards us."

e. We have access: The perfect verb tense of have access also indicates that this is a standing, permanent possession. Because our standing is based on grace, we really can stand and have peace, because we know that our access is a permanent possession. It cannot be taken away at a later time.

i. "And this access to God, or introduction to the Divine presence, is to be considered a lasting privilege. We are not brought to God for the purpose of an interview, but to remain with him; to be his household; and by faith, to behold his face, and walk in the light of his countenance." (Clarke)

f. The logical conclusion to such peace and such a standing of grace means that we can rejoice in hope of the glory of God. When we relate to God on the principle of works, any rejoicing is presumptuous, and any imagined glory goes to us, not God.

i. Rejoice is the word normally translated boast; it means "a triumphant, rejoicing confidence." (Morris)

ii. Hope never implied uncertainty for Paul. J.B. Philipps translates hope as happy certainty.

g. Again, all this only makes sense having been justified by faith. If we are not justified by grace through faith, then we have no peace with God, and we have no present standing of grace.

h. "Alas, how few believers have the courage of faith! When some saint here or there does begin to believe the facts and walk in shouting liberty, we say (perhaps secretly), 'He must be an especially holy, consecrated man.' No, he is just a poor sinner like you, who is believing in the abundance of grace!" (Newell)

2. (3-4) The promise of glory is also for the present time.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

a. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations: Paul anticipates the accusation that he is too "pie in the sky," that glory for the Christian only applies to the sweet bye-and-bye. Paul replies, "I know we have many tribulations now but we glory in those also."

i. Paul isn't simply spinning out spiritual platitudes. First, he uses strong words. Tribulations is "a strong term. It does not refer to minor inconveniences, but to real hardships" (Morris). Second, Paul lived a life full of tribulation. If this is true Paul knew it better than anyone.

b. Knowing that tribulation produces perseverance: We can glory in tribulations (literally, stresses) because they are the occasion to produce perseverance (endurance).

i. A runner must be stressed to gain endurance. Sailors must go to sea. Soldiers go to battle. For the Christian, tribulation is just part of our Christian life. We should not desire or hope for a tribulation-free Christian life, especially because:

- God uses tribulation wonderfully in our life
- God knows how much tribulation we can take, and He carefully measures the tribulation we face
- Those who are not Christians face tribulation also
ii. "A Christian man should be willing to be tried; he should be pleased to let his religion be put to the test. 'There,' says he, 'hammer away if you like.' Do you want to be carried to heaven on a feather bed?" (Spurgeon)

iii. "I've heard people advise others against praying for patience because God will then send them tribulations. If that's the way patience comes then, 'God, bring on the troubles.' I need patience!" (Smith)

iv. "Whatever virtues tribulation finds us in, it develops more fully. If anyone is carnal, weak, blind, wicked, irascible, haughty, and so forth, tribulation will make him more carnal, weak, blind, wicked and irritable. On the other hand, if one is spiritual, strong, wise, pious, gentle and humble, he will become more spiritual, powerful, wise, pious, gentle and humble." (Martin Luther)

v. " 'Tribulation worketh patience,' says the apostle. Naturally it is not so. Tribulation worketh impatience, and impatience misses the fruit of experience, and sours into hopelessness. Ask many who have buried a dear child, or have lost their wealth, or have suffered pain of body, and they will tell you that the natural result of affliction is to produce irritation against providence, rebellion against God, questioning, unbelief, petulance, and! all sorts of evils. But what a wonderful alteration takes place when the heart is renewed by the Holy Spirit!" (Spurgeon)

c. Perseverance, character; and character, hope: This is a golden chain of Christian growth and maturity. One virtue builds upon another as we grow in the pattern of Jesus.

i. Most every Christian wants to develop character and have more hope. These qualities spring out of perseverance, which comes through tribulation. We may wish to have better character and more hope without starting with tribulation, but that isn't God's pattern and plan.

ii. I would rather have God just sprinkle perseverance and character and hope on me as I sleep. I could wake up a much better Christian! But that isn't God's plan for me or for any Christian.

iii. Therefore we say - soberly, reverently - we say about tribulation, "Lord, bring it on. I know you love me and carefully measure every trial and have a loving purpose to accomplish in every tribulation. Lord, I won't seek trials and search out tribulation, but I won't despise them or lose hope when they come. I trust Your love in everything You allow."

3. (5) Evidence for hope: God's love in our hearts right now, evidenced by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

a. Now hope does not disappoint: The hope that tribulation builds in us is not a hope that will be disappointed. We are assured of this because God has proved His intention to complete His work in us - the proof being the love of God … poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

b. Every Christian should know what it is like to have the love of God … poured out in our hearts - to have a deep inner awareness of God's love for us.

i. Paul's logical arguments in Romans are devastating but the Book of Romans doesn't lack emotion or passionate experiences with God. Paul wants us to think the right thoughts about God, but he also wants us to have the right experience with God - the love of God … poured out in our hearts.

ii. God's love isn't given to us in a trickle, it is poured out in our hearts. Some Christians live as if it was only a trickle but God wants us to know the outpouring of His love.

c. This love is ours by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. A lack of awareness of God's love can often be credited to a failure to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit and to walk in the Spirit.

i. "The love of God is like light to a blind eye until the Holy Ghost opens that eye … may the Holy Spirit now be here in each one of us, to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts." (Spurgeon)

ii. Everyone who is a Christian has the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). But not every Christian lives in the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), and not every Christian walks in the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:4-5).

4. (6-8) A description of God's love towards us.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

a. When we were still without strength: Paul describes the greatness of God's love. It is love given to the undeserving, to those without strength, to the ungodly, to sinners. This emphasizes the fact that the reasons for God's love are found in Him, not in us.

i. Who are these people? Who are the ungodly and wicked people Jesus died for? Paul spent the first two-and-a-half chapters of the Book of Romans telling us that we all are those people.

b. In due time Christ died for the ungodly: God sent the Son at the right time, at the due time. It may have seemed late to some but Jesus' work was done at the perfect time in God's plan: when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son. (Galatians 4:4)

i. The world was prepared spiritually, economically, linguistically, politically, philosophically and geographically for the coming of Jesus and the spread of the Gospel. "The Scripture everywhere speaks of a certain season or hour assigned for the death of Christ: see Matthew 26:45; John 8:20; John 12:27; John 17:1." (Poole)

ii. In due time also has the meaning that Jesus died at the due time for us. He died when we were sinners who needed a Savior. His timing was just right for us.

c. Christ died for the ungodly: Paul mentioned the idea of a substitutionary sacrifice with the word propitiation in Romans 3:25. Here, he makes the point again by saying that Christ died for the ungodly. The ancient Greek word for is the word huper, which means "for the sake of, in behalf of, instead of."

i. Other places where huper is used in the New Testament help us to understand this. In John 11:50, we read: nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for [huper] the people. Galatians 3:13 says, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for [huper] us.

ii. Therefore, to genuinely say "Jesus died for me" you must also say "I have no strength to save myself. I am ungodly. I am a sinner." Jesus died to save and transform these.

iii. "You will say, 'Oh, I am one of the worst in the world.' Christ died for the worst in the world. 'Oh, but I have no power to be better.' Christ died for those that were without strength. 'Oh, but my case condemns itself.' Christ died for those that legally are condemned. 'Ay, but my case is hopeless.' Christ died for the hopeless. He is the hope of the hopeless. He is the Savior not of those partly lost, but of the wholly lost." (Spurgeon)

iv. "If Christ died for the ungodly, this fact leaves the ungodly no excuse if they do not come to him, and believe in him unto salvation. Had it been otherwise they might have pleaded, 'We are not fit to come.' But you are ungodly, and Christ died for the ungodly, why not for you?" (Spurgeon)

d. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: God's love is a love beyond even the best love among humans. A good man might die a noble martyrdom for the "right kind" of person - such as a righteous man or a good man. But Jesus died for those who were neither righteous nor good.

i. Is there a difference between a righteous man and a good man in Paul's mind? The difference in Romans 5:7 seems to be that the righteous man is only that - righteous in his personal life but perhaps lacking in feeling for others. The good man by contrast goes beyond the other man by also being kind and benevolent.

e. But God demonstrates His own love: How does the death of the Son demonstrate the love of the Father? Because it was harder for the Father to send His only Son, and because God [the Father] was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

i. "It would be easy to see the cross as demonstrating the indifference of God, a God who let the innocent Jesus be taken by wicked men, tortured, and crucified while he did nothing … Unless there is a sense in which the Father and Christ are one, it is not the love of God that the cross shows." (Morris)

ii. The work of Jesus on the cross for us is God's ultimate proof of His love for you. He may give additional proof, but He can give no greater proof. If the cross is the ultimate demonstration of God's love, it is also the ultimate demonstration of man's hatred. It also proves that the height of man's hatred can't defeat the height of God's love.

iii. The demonstration of God's love isn't so much in that Jesus died, but in whom Jesus died for - undeserving sinners and rebels against Him.

5. (9-11) Salvation from God's wrath.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

a. Much more then, having now been justified His blood, we shall be saved from wrath: If we are justified by the work of Jesus, we can be assured that we are also saved from wrath through Him. The wrath of God that was revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Romans 1:18) was placed on Jesus as a substitute in the place of the believer.

i. By nature, some are inclined to preface these great promises of God with "much less then" regarding themselves. God wants them to see it plain and clear: Much more then is the love and goodness of God given to us and much more then can we have confidence in Him.

ii. Saved from wrath: Whose wrath? God's righteous wrath. It is true that we must be saved from the world, the flesh and the devil but most of all we must be rescued from the righteous wrath of God.

iii. John Trapp on much more then: "It is a greater work of God to bring men to grace, than, being the state of grace, to bring them to glory; because sin is far more distant from grace than grace is from glory."

b. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God: If God showed such dramatic love to us when we were enemies, think of the blessings we will enjoy once we are reconciled to God! If God does this much for His enemies, how much more will He do for His friends!

i. Wuest, quoting Alford: "Not only has the reconciled man confidence that he shall escape God's wrath, but triumphant confidence - joyful hope in God."

c. Much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life: This reconciliation isn't only helpful when we die; it also touches our life right now. God is forever done dealing with believers on the basis of wrath. He may chasten them as a loving Father, but not in punishment or payment for their sins. Chastening is always to provide loving correction and guidance.

d. Saved from wrath through Him … we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son … rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus … through whom we have now received the reconciliation: The point is clearly emphasized. What matters is what we have through Jesus. What we have through our own works doesn't matter and can't help us. It's all through Jesus.

B. The Two Men.

1. (12) The spread of sin through the human race.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned;

a. Just as through one man sin entered the world: The Apostle Paul regarded Genesis 3 as totally, historically true. According to Paul (and Jesus, as He says in Matthew 19:4-6), Adam and Eve were real people and what they did has a lasting effect to the present day.

i. It is important to understand that the Adam and Eve account is not an optional passage to be accepted or rejected, or allegorized away. According to Paul's theme here in Romans 5, you can't take away Genesis 3 without taking away principles that lay the foundation for our salvation.

ii. "To Paul, Adam was more than a historical individual, the first man; he was also what his name means in Hebrew - 'humanity.' The whole of humanity is viewed as having existed at first in Adam." (Bruce)

b. Through one man sin entered the world: Paul doesn't prove this, he simply accepts it true from Genesis 3 - sin entered the world through Adam. Significantly, Adam is responsible for the fall, not Eve. Eve was deceived when she sinned but Adam sinned with full knowledge. (1 Timothy 2:14)

c. And death through sin: Death entered the world and spread to all men as a result of Adam's sin. God promised Adam, in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17). The principle of death was introduced into the world when Adam sinned and it has reigned on earth ever since. Every grave is mute evidence to the spread and reign of sin since the time of Adam.

d. Thus death spread to all men, because all sinned: Since death and sin are connected, we can know that all men are sinners - because all are subject to death. A sinless man is not subject to death but since every person is subject to death - even the smallest baby - it proves that all [mankind] sinned in Adam.

i. This sounds odd to our individualistic ears, but Paul clearly teaches that we all sinned "in" Adam. Adam is the common father of every person on the earth; every human who has ever lived was "in" Adam's genetic makeup. Therefore, all mankind actually sinned in Adam.

ii. "All sinned in this case means 'all sinned in Adam'; Adam's sin is the sin of all." (Morris)

iii. Humans are mortal - subject to death - before they commit any sin themselves. Since mortality is the result of sin, it shows that we are made sinners by Adam's sin, not by our own personal sin.

iv. We may not like the fact that we are made sinners by the work of another man. We may protest, and say, "I want to stand on my own two feet, and not be made a sinner because of the work of another man." Nevertheless, it is fair to be made righteous by the work of another man only if we are also made sinners by the work of another man. If we aren't made sinners by Adam, then it isn't fair for us to be made righteous by Jesus.

e. All men: This truth may make us uncomfortable, but it is still the truth. The smallest baby is a sinner, subject to death. David understood this when he wrote, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5).

i. We can also know that we are born sinners for other reasons. First, think of how selfish and angry the smallest baby can be. Second, think of how we never have to teach our children to be bad - they learn that quite on their own, with old Adam teaching the lessons.

ii. If babies are sinners, does that mean that they go to hell? Not necessarily. First, we know that the children of believers are sanctified by the presence of a believing parent (1 Corinthians 7:14). Secondly, David had the assurance that his baby would meet him in heaven (2 Samuel 12:23). Finally, we know that at the end of it all, God, the judge of the entire world, will do right (Genesis 18:25).

iii. If there are the children of unbelieving parents in heaven, it is important to understand that it is not because they are innocent. As sons and daughters of guilty Adam, we are each born guilty as well. If such children do go to heaven, it is not because they innocents who deserve heaven, but because the rich mercy of God has been extended to them as well.

2. (13-14) An objection answered: "I thought we were sinners because we broke the Law."

(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

a. Until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law: We know that at the root of it all we are made sinners because of Adam and not because we break the law ourselves. We know this because sin and death were in the world before the Law was ever given.

i. The law was too late to prevent sin and death and it is too weak to save from sin and death.

b. Nevertheless death reigned: The total, merciless reign of death - even before the law was given at the time of Moses - proves that man was under sin before the law. Death reigned … even over those who had not sinned in the exact way Adam did, showing that the principle of sin was at work in every human.

c. Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come: Paul presents Adam as a type - a picture, a representation - of Jesus. Both Adam and Jesus were completely sinless men from the beginning, and both of them did things that had consequences for all mankind.

3. (15-17) Contrasts between Adam's work and Jesus' work.

But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

a. But the free gift is not like the offense: Adam gave an offense that had consequences for the entire human race - as a result of Adam's offense, many died. Jesus gives a free gift that has consequences for the entire human race, but in a different way. Through the free gift of Jesus, the grace of God … abounded to many. Adam's work brought death but Jesus' work brings grace.

b. Paul describes the results of Adam's offense: Many died; judgment, resulting in condemnation, and death reigned over man. He also describes the results of Jesus' free gift: grace abounded to many, justification (because many offenses were laid on Jesus), receiving abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, and reigning in life.

i. "He is not saying that death reigned over us all because we all sinned; he is saying that death reigned over us all because Adam sinned." (Morris)

c. Death reigned … righteousness will reign: We could say that both Adam and Jesus are kings, each instituting a reign. Under Adam, death reigned. Under Jesus, we can reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

i. It is staggering to think of how totally death has reigned under Adam. Everyone who is born dies - the mortality rate is 100%. No one survives. When a baby is born, it isn't a question of whether the baby will live or die - they will most certainly die; the only question is when. We think of this world as the land of the living, but it is really the land of the dying, and the billions of human bodies cast into the earth over the centuries proves this. But Paul says that the reign of life through Jesus is much more certain. The believer's reign in life through Jesus is more certain than death or taxes!

4. (18) Summary: the two men.

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

a. One man's offense … one Man's righteous act: From this passage, Adam and Jesus are sometimes known as the two men. Between them they represent of all humanity, and everyone is identified in either Adam or Jesus. We are born identified with Adam; we may be born again into identification with Jesus.

i. The idea of Adam and Jesus as two representatives of the human race is sometimes called Federal Theology or Adam and Jesus are sometimes referred to as Federal Heads. This is because under the federal system of government, representatives are chosen and the representative speaks for the people who chose him. Adam speaks for those he represents, and Jesus speaks for His people.

ii. Again, someone may object: "But I never chose to have Adam represent me." Of course you did! You identified yourself with Adam with the first sin you ever committed. It is absolutely true that we were born into our identification with Adam, but we also choose it with our individual acts of sin.

b. Resulting in condemnation … resulting in justification: The outcome of this election - choosing Adam or Jesus - means everything. If we choose Adam we receive judgment and condemnation. If we choose Jesus we receive a free gift of God's grace and justification.

c. The free gift came to all men: Does this mean that all men are justified by the free gift? Without making a personal choice, every person received the curse of Adam's offense. Is it therefore true that every person, apart from their personal choice, will receive the benefits of Jesus' obedience? Not at all. First, Paul makes it clear that the free gift is not like the offense - they are not identical in their result or application. Second, over three verses Paul calls the work of Jesus a free gift, and he never uses those words to apply to the work of Adam. It is simply the nature of a gift that it must be received by faith. Finally, Paul clearly teaches throughout the New Testament that all are not saved.

i. In what sense then did the free gift cometo all men? It came in the sense that the gift is presented, but not necessarily received.

ii. The idea that all men are saved by the work of Jesus whether they know it or not is known as universalism. "If the doctrine of universalism is being taught here, Paul would be contradicting himself, for he has already pictured men as perishing because of sin." (Harrison)

5. (19) Summary of the contrasts.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

a. Adam's disobedience makes mankind sinners. Jesus' obedience makes many righteous. Each representative communicates the effect of their work to their "followers."

b. Many were made sinners: Paul emphasizes the point again. At the root, we were made sinners by the work of Adam. Of course, we chose Adam when we personally sinned. But the principle remains that since another man made ussinners, we can be made righteous by the work of another man.

i. This is the only way for the work of Jesus to benefit us in any way. If every man must stand for himself, without the representation of either Adam or Jesus, then we will all perish. None would be saved, because each of us sins and falls short of the glory of God. Only a sinless person acting on our behalf can save us, and it is fair for Him to act on our behalf because another man put us in this mess by acting on our behalf.

ii. If I robbed a bank and was pronounced guilty by the judge, what would happen if my friend came before the judge and said, "Your honor, I love my friend so much that I want to serve his prison time. I want to stand in his place and receive the punishment he deserves." The judge would reply, "Nonsense. We will not punish you for his crime. That wouldn't be fair. He did the crime, so he has to pay the penalty." It would only be fair for another person to pay the penalty if I was guilty because of another person's work.

iii. The person who says, "I don't want to be represented by Adam or Jesus; I want to represent myself" doesn't understand two things. First, they don't understand that it really isn't up to us. We didn't make the rules, God did. We simply have to deal with it. Secondly, they don't understand that our personal righteousness before God is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). To God, our personal righteousness is an offensive counterfeit; so standing for yourself guarantees your damnation.

6. (20a) The purpose of the Law.

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound.

a. Paul has shown us that the law does not justify us. Now he shows that in itself, the law doesn't even make us sinners - Adam did that. Then what purpose does the law serve? What good is it at all? Was the giving of the law God's failed experiment? No. There is a clear purpose for the law, and part of it is so that the offense might abound. The law makes man's sin clearer and greater by clearly contrasting it with God's holy standard.

i. The flaws in a precious stone abound when contrasted with a perfect stone, or when put against a contrasting backdrop. God's perfect law exposes our flaws, and makes our sin abound.

b. There is another way that the law makes sin abound. Because of the sinfulness of my heart, when I see a line drawn I want to cross over it. In this sense, the law makes sin abound because it draws many clear lines between right and wrong that my sinful heart wants to break. Therefore, the law makes me sin more - but not because there is anything wrong in the law, only because there is something deeply wrong in the human condition.

7. (20b-21) The reign of grace.

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

a. If sin abounded under the law, then grace abounded much more under Jesus. Literally, the phrase abounded much more means "super-abounded." God makes His grace super-abound over abounding sin!

i. We might have expected that where sin abounded, God's anger or judgment would have abounded much more. But God's love is so amazing that grace abounded much more where we might have expected wrath.

ii. If grace super-abounds over sin, then we know that it is impossible to out-sin the grace of God. We can't sin more than God can forgive, but we can reject His grace and forgiveness.

b. As Paul stated before, sin reigned in death. But grace reigns also. The reign of grace is marked by righteousness and eternal life and is through Jesus.

i. Grace reigns through righteousness. Many people have the idea that where grace reigns, there will be a disregard for righteousness, and a casual attitude towards sin. But that isn't the reign of grace at all. Paul wrote in another letter what grace teaches us: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11-12). Grace reigns through righteousness, and grace teaches righteousness.

ii. Grace reigns to eternal life. God's grace gives us something, and takes us somewhere. It gives more than just everlasting life in the sense that it will never end. Eternal life has the idea of a present quality of life, God's quality of life, given to us right now - not simply when we die.

iii. Grace reigns through Jesus. There is a King in the kingdom where grace reigns, and the King is Jesus. A life of grace is all about Jesus and others, and not about me. A life of grace doesn't look to self because it understands that this undeserved favor of God is given apart from any reason in self. All the reasons are in Jesus; none of the reasons are in myself. Grace doesn't reign through self, but through Jesus.

c. Even so grace might reign through righteousness: Wherever grace rules, God's righteous standard will be respected. The legalist's fear is that the reign of grace will provide wicked hearts with a license to sin, but Scripture doesn't share that fear. Grace does not accommodate sin, it faces it squarely and goes above sin in order to conquer it. Grace does not wink at unrighteousness, it confronts sin with the atonement at the cross and the victory won at the open tomb.

i. Grace is no friend to sin; it is its sworn enemy. "As heat is opposed to cold, and light to darkness, so grace is opposed to sin. Fire and water may as well agree in the same vessel as grace and sin in the same heart." (Thomas Benton Brooks)

ii. In John Bunyan's classic Pilgrim's Progress, a wonderful character is a man named Mr. Honest. He was a traveler along the way, and saw many a fellow pilgrim, some who had set out boldly and strongly but who turned back. He saw others who stumbled at the start but finished in fine fashion. Some began full of faith, but ended in doubt, but others came to greater assurance along the pilgrim's road. Mr. Honest obviously knew a lot about this pilgrimage we call Christianity, and he summed up all his knowledge in his last words:

"Mr. Honest called for his friends, and said unto them 'I die, but shall make no will. As for my honesty, it shall go with me' … When the day that he was to be gone was come, he addressed himself to go over the river. Now the river at that time overflowed the banks in some places, but Mr. Honest in his lifetime had spoken to one [named] Good-conscience to meet him there, that which he also did, and lent him his hand, and so helped him over. The last words of Mr. Honest were, 'Grace reigns!' So he left the world.

 

Romans 6

Made Safe for Grace
A. The believer under grace and the problem of habitual sin.

1. (1) Should we live a life of sin so we can receive more grace?

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

a. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Paul introduced the idea that where sin abounded, grace abounded much more (Romans 5:20). He now wonders if someone might take this truth to imply that it doesn't matter if a Christian lives a life of sin, because God will always overcome greater sin with greater grace.

i. After all, if God loves sinners, then why worry about sin? If God gives grace to sinners, then why not sin more and receive more grace? Some people think that their job is to sin and God's job is to forgive, so they will do their job and God will do His job!

ii. In the early part of the century, the Russian monk Gregory Rasputin taught and lived the idea of salvation through repeated experiences of sin and repentance. He believed that because those who sin the most require the most forgiveness, a sinner who continues to sin with abandon enjoys more of God's grace (when he repents for the moment) than the ordinary sinner. Therefore, Rasputin lived in notorious sin, and taught that this was the way to salvation. This is an extreme example of the idea behind Paul's question "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"

iii. But in a less extreme way, the question still confronts us. Is the plan of grace "safe"? Won't people abuse grace? If God's salvation and approval are given on the basis of faith instead of works, won't we just say "I believe" and then live any way we please?

iv. From a purely natural or secular viewpoint, grace is dangerous. This is why many people don't really teach or believe in grace and instead emphasize living by law. They believe that if you tell people that God saves and accepts them apart from what they deserve, then they will have no motivation to be obedient. In their opinion, you simply can't keep people on the straight and narrow without a threat from God hanging over their head. If they believe their position in Jesus is settled because of what Jesus did, then the motivation of holy living is gone.

b. Shall we continue in sin: The verb tense of the phrase continue in sin (the present active tense) makes it clear that Paul describes the practice of habitual sin. In this first part of Romans 6, Paul writes about someone who remains in a lifestyle of sin, thinking that it is acceptable so that grace may abound.

2. (2) A life of sin is unacceptable, because our death to sin changes our relationship to sin.

Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

a. Certainly not! For Paul, the idea that anyone might continue in sin that grace may abound is unthinkable. Certainly not is a strong phrase. It might also be translated, Perish the thought! Or, Away with the notion!

b. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Paul establishes an important principle. When we are born again, when we have believed on Jesus for our salvation, our relationship with sin is permanently changed. We have died to sin. Therefore, if we have died to sin, then we should not live any longer in it. It simply isn't fitting to live any longer in something you have died to.

c. At this point, Paul has much to explain about what exactly he means by died to sin, but the general point is clear - Christians have died to sin, and they should no longer live in it. Before, we were dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1); now we are dead to sin.

3. (3-4) The illustration of the believer's death to sin: baptism.

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

a. Or do you not know: The implication is that Paul is dealing with fundamental concepts that every Christians should know.

b. As many of us as were baptized in Christ Jesus: The idea behind the ancient Greek word for baptized is "to immerse or overwhelm something." The Bible uses this idea of being baptized into something in several different ways. When a person is baptized in water, they are immersed or covered over with water. When they are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:5) they are "immersed" or "covered over" with the Holy Spirit. When they are baptized with suffering (Mark 10:39), they are "immersed" or "covered over" with suffering. Here, Paul refers to being baptized - "immersed" or "covered over" in Christ Jesus.

c. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father: The believer's water baptism (or, being baptized into Christ) is a dramatization or "acting out" of the believer's "immersion" or identification with Jesus in His death and resurrection.

i. "From this and other references to baptism in Paul's writings, it is plain that he did not regard baptism as an 'optional extra' in the Christian life." (Bruce)

d. We were buried with Him … as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life: Paul also builds on the idea of going under the water as a picture of being buried, and coming up from the water as a picture of rising from the dead.

i. Of course, baptism also has the association of cleansing, but that isn't particularly relevant to Paul's point here.

e. In this regard, baptism is important as an illustration of spiritual reality, but it does not make that reality come to pass. If someone has not spiritually died and risen with Jesus, all the baptisms in the world will not accomplish it for them.

f. But Paul's point is clear: something dramatic and life changing happened in the life of the believer. You can't die and rise again without it changing your life. The believer has a real (although spiritual) death and resurrection with Jesus Christ.

4. (5-10) Paul considers the implications of our death and resurrection with Jesus.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

a. United together expresses a close union. The phrase "exactly expresses the process by which a graft becomes united with the life of a tree … The union is of the closest sort, and life from Christ flows through to him." (Morris) It fits in well with Jesus' picture of abiding in Him from John 15.

i. This close union is both in His death and in His resurrection. God has both experiences for us. Paul expressed a similar idea for his own life in Philippians 3:10-11: that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Some are all too ready to be united together in the glory of resurrection, but are unwilling to be united together in His death.

b. Certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection: Our participation in the death of Jesus makes our participation in His resurrection certain.

i. It is far too easy for many Christians to focus solely on the "crucified life," failing to see that it is a part (and an essential part) of a bigger picture: preparation for resurrection life.

c. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him: The death of the old man is an established fact. It happened spiritually when we were identified with Jesus' death at our salvation.

i. The old man is the self patterned after Adam, that part of us deeply ingrained with a desire to rebel against God and His commands. The system of law is unable to deal with the old man, because it can only tell the old man what the righteous standard of God is. The law tries to reform the old man, to get him to "turn over a new leaf." But the system of grace understands that the old man can never be reformed. He must be put to death, and for the believer the old man dies with Jesus on the cross.

ii. The crucifixion of the old man is something that God did in us. None of us nailed the old man to the cross. Jesus did it, and we are told to account it as being done. "In us there was nothing even to sicken and to weaken our old man, much less to murder him by crucifixion; God had to do this." (Lenski)

iii. In place of the old man, God gives the believer a new man - a self that is instinctively obedient and pleasing to God; this aspect of our person is that which was raised with Christ in His resurrection. The New Testament describes the new man for us.

- The new man, which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24)

- The new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. (Colossians 3:10)

d. God uses our death to the old man, the sin nature, to liberate us from sin. A dead man can no longer have authority over us, so we are to remember and account the old man as crucified with Him.

i. The two other places in the New Testament which mention the old man remind us to consider him done away with, telling us to put off the old man as something dead and gone (Ephesians 4:22 and Colossians 3:9). Strictly speaking, we don't battle the old man. We simply reckon him as dead.

ii. "Evil enters us now as an interloper and a stranger, and works sad havoc, but it does not abide in us upon the throne; it is an alien, and despised, and no more honored and delighted in. We are dead to the reigning power of sin." (Spurgeon)

e. If the old man is dead, why do I feel a pull to sin inside? It comes from the flesh, which is distinct from the old man. It's hard to precisely describe the flesh; some have called it "the screen on which the inner man is displayed." Our inner being has desires and impulses and passions; these are played out in our mind, in our will, and in our emotions. The flesh is what acts out the inner man.

i. The flesh is a problem in the battle against sin because it has been expertly trained in sinful habits by three sources. First, the old man, before he was crucified with Christ, trained and "imprinted" himself on the flesh. Second, the world system, in its spirit of rebellion against God, can have an continuing influence on the flesh. Finally, the devil seeks to tempt and influence the flesh towards sin.

ii. With the old man dead, what do we do with the flesh? God calls us, in participation with Him, to do actively day by day with the flesh just what He has already done with the old man - crucify it, make it dead to sin. (Galatians 5:24) But when we allow the flesh to be continually influenced by the old man's habits of the past, the world, and the devil, the flesh will exert a powerful pull towards sin. If we let the new man within us influence the mind, the will, and the emotions, then we will find the battle less intense.

f. That we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin: Our slavery to sin can only be broken by death. In the 1960 film Spartacus, Kirk Douglas played the escaped slave Spartacus, who led a brief but widespread slave rebellion in ancient Rome. At one point in the movie Spartacus says: "Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That's why he is not afraid of it." We are set free from sin because the old man has died with Jesus on the cross. Now a new man, a free man, lives.

g. Having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him: Since we have already died to sin with Jesus, death no longer has dominion over us. The new man not only has life; he has eternal life.

h. The life that he lives, he lives to God: The new life we are granted isn't given so we can live unto ourselves. With the new life, he lives to God. We aren't dead to sin, free from sin, and given eternal life to live as we please, but to live to please God.

i. "If God has given to you and to me an entirely new life in Christ, how can that new life spend itself after the fashion of the old life? Shall the spiritual live as the carnal? How can you that were the servants of sin, but have been made free by precious blood, go back to your old slavery?" (Spurgeon)

i. This change in the life of the one who is born again was understood and predicted as a feature of God's New Covenant, where because of new hearts our innermost being wants to do God's will and be slaves to righteousness. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

i. The eleventh of the original 42 articles of Church of England states this truth with a beauty that only Sixteenth Century English can express: "The grace of Christ, or the holie Ghost by him geven, dothe take awaie the stonie harte, and geveth an harte of flesh." God takes away our rock-like heart and gives us a soft heart of flesh.

5. (11-12) Practical application of the principle of our death and resurrection with Jesus.

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

a. Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin: Reckon is an accounting word. Paul tells us to account or to reckon the old man as forever dead. God never calls us "crucify" the old man, but instead to account him as already dead because of our identification with Jesus' death on the cross.

b. Reckon yourselves to be … alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord: The death to sin is only one side of the equation. The old man is gone, but the new man lives on (as described in Romans 6:4-5).

c. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body: This is something that can only be said to the Christian, to the one who has had the old man crucified with Christ and has been given a new man in Jesus. Only the person set free from sin can be told, "do not let sin reign."

i. The Christian is the one truly set free. The person who isn't converted yet is free to sin, but not free to stop sinning and live righteously, because of the tyranny of the old man.

ii. In Jesus, we are truly set free and are offered the opportunity to obey the natural inclination of the new man - which wants to please God and honor Him.

d. Therefore do not let sin reign: The old man is dead, and there is new life - free from sin - in Jesus. Yet, many Christians never experience this freedom. Because of unbelief, self-reliance or ignorance, many Christians never live in the freedom Jesus paid for on the cross.

i. D. L. Moody used to speak of an old black woman in the South following the Civil War. Being a former slave, she was confused about her status and asked: "Now is I free, or been I not? When I go to my old master he says I ain't free, and when I go to my own people they say I is, and I don't know whether I'm free or not. Some people told me that Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation, but master says he didn't; he didn't have any right to."

ii. This is exactly the place many Christians are. They are, and have been, legally set free from their slavery to sin, yet they are unsure of that truth. The following verses give practical help in living out the freedom Jesus has granted us.

6. (13-14) How to walk in the freedom Jesus has given us.

And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

a. Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God: A person can be "officially" set free, yet still imprisoned. If a person lives in prison for years, and then is set free, they often still think and act like a prisoner. The habits of freedom aren't ingrained in their life yet. Here, Paul shows how to build the habits of freedom in the Christian life.

i. In the fourteenth century two brothers fought for the right to rule over a dukedom in what is now Belgium. The elder brother's name was Raynald, but he was commonly called "Crassus," a Latin nickname meaning "fat," for he was horribly obese. After a heated battle, Raynald's younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him and assumed the title of Duke over his lands. But instead of killing Raynald, Edward devised a curious imprisonment. He had a room in the castle built around "Crassus," a room with only one door. The door was not locked, the windows were not barred, and Edward promised Raynald that he could regain his land and his title any time that he wanted to. All he would have to do is leave the room of his imprisonment. The obstacle to freedom was not in the doors or the windows, but with Raynald himself. Being grossly overweight, he could not fit through the door, even though it was of near-normal size. All Raynald needed to do was diet down to a smaller size, then walk out a free man, with all he had before his fall. However, his younger brother kept sending him an assortment of tasty foods, and Raynald's desire to be free never won out over his desire to eat. Some would accuse Duke Edward of being cruel to his older brother, but he would simply reply, "My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills." But Raynald stayed in that room for ten years, until Edward himself was killed in battle.

ii. What an accurate picture showing the experience of many Christians! Jesus has set them forever free legally, and they may walk in that freedom from sin whenever they choose. But since they keep yielding their bodily appetites to the service of sin, they live a life of defeat, discouragement and imprisonment.

b. Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: This is the first key to walking in the freedom Jesus Christ has won for us is. We are told to not present the parts of our body to the service of sin. The New Living Translation communicates the idea well: Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning.

i. Your members are the parts of your body - your ears, lips, eyes, hands, mind, and so forth. The idea is very practical: "You have eyes. Do not put them in the service of sin. You have ears. Do not put in the in the service of sin."

ii. Instruments could be better-translated weapons. The parts of our body are weapons in the battle for right living. When the parts of our body are given over to righteousness, they are weapons for good. When they are given over to sin, they are weapons for evil.

iii. An example of this is how God used David's hands in the slaying of Goliath for righteousness. Later, sin used David's eyes for unrighteousness when he looked upon Bathsheba.

c. But present yourselves to God: This is the second key to walking in the freedom Jesus has won for us is. It isn't enough to take the weapons away from the service of sin. They must then be enlisted in the service of righteousness - and, as in any warfare, the side with superior weapons usually wins.

i. The idea is similar to the manner in which the priests in the Old Testament consecrated their bodies to God. Sacrificial blood was applied to the ear, to the thumb, and on the big toe, showing that those parts of their body (and all other parts) belonged to God and were to be used for His glory. (Exodus 29:20)

ii. We present ourselves to God as being alive from the dead. This first has the idea that all connection with the previous life - the old man - must be done away with. That life is dead and gone. Secondly, it has the idea of obligation, because we owe everything to the One who has given us new life!

d. For sin shall not have dominion over you: Spurgeon said that these words give us a test, a promise, and an encouragement.

i. It is a test of our claim to be Christians. Does anger have dominion over you? Does murmuring and complaining? Does covetousness have dominion over you? Does pride? Does laziness have dominion over you? If sin has dominion over us, we should serious ask if we are really converted.

ii. It is promise of victory. It doesn't say that "sin will not be present in you," because that will only be fulfilled when we are resurrected in glory. But it does promise that sin will not have dominion over us because of the great work Jesus did in us when we were born again.

iii. It is an encouragement for hope and strength in the battle against sin. God hasn't condemned you under the dominion of sin - He has set you free in Jesus. This is encouragement for the Christian struggling against sin, for the new Christian, for the backslider.

e. For you are not under law but under grace: This is the path, the means, by which we can live in this freedom. It will never happen in a legalistic, performance oriented Christian life. It will happen as we live not under law but under grace.

i. Law clearly defined God's standard, and shows us where we fall short of it. But it cannot give the freedom from sin that grace provides. Remember that grace reigns through righteousness (Romans 5:21). Grace, not law provides the freedom and the power to live over sin.

ii. This shows again that a life lived truly under grace will be a righteous life. Grace is never a license to sin. "To treat being under grace as an excuse for sinning is a sign that one is not really under grace at all." (Bruce)

f. Not under law but under grace is another way to describe the radical change in the life of someone who is born again. For the Jewish person of Paul's day, living life under law was everything. The law was the way to God's approval and eternal life. Now, Paul shows that in light of the New Covenant, we are not under law but under grace. His work in our life has changed everything.

i. Paul has answered his question from Romans 6:1. Why don't we just continue in habitual sin so that grace may abound? Because when we are saved, when our sins are forgiven and God's grace is extended to us, we are radically changed. The old man is dead, and the new man lives.

ii. In light of these remarkable changes, it is utterly incompatible for a new creation in Jesus to be comfortable in habitual sin. A state of sin can only be temporary for the Christian. As Spurgeon is credited with saying: "The grace that does not change my life will not save my soul."

iii. John states the same idea in another way: Whoever abides in Him does not (habitually) sin. Whoever (habitually) sins has neither seen Him nor known Him … Whoever has been born of God does not (habitually) sin, for his seed remains in him; and he cannot (habitually) sin, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:6 and 9)

iv. The changes may not come all at one time, and they may not come to each area of the life at the same time, but they will be there and they will be real and they will be increasing and time goes on.

g. God has made us "safe" for grace by changing us as we receive God's grace; He sets us free and equips us to live righteously before Him. Since we have died to sin, it is unthinkable that we could continue our former practice of sin. Once the caterpillar has been made a butterfly, the butterfly has no business crawling around on trees and leaves like a caterpillar again.

i. "God has so changed your nature by his grace that when you sin you shall be like a fish on dry land, you shall be out of your element, and long to get into a right state again. You cannot sin, for you love God. The sinner may drink sin down as the ox drinketh down water, but to you it shall be as the brine of the sea. You may become so foolish as to try the pleasures of the world, but they shall be no pleasures to you." (Spurgeon)

B. The believer under grace and the problem of occasional sin.

1. (15) A new question is asked: shall we sin (occasionally) because we are not under law but under grace?

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

a. Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Paul has convinced us that a lifestyle of habitual sin is not compatible with one whose life is changed by grace. But what about an occasional sin here and there? If we are under grace, not law, must we be so concerned about a little sin here and there?

b. Shall we sin: Again, the verb tense of the ancient Greek word sin is important (the aorist active tense). It indicates dabbling in sin, not a continual habitual sin described in the question of Romans 6:1.

i. "The verb in verse one is in the present subjunctive, speaking of habitual, continuous action. The verb in verse fifteen is in the aorist subjunctive, referring to a single act." (Wuest)

2. (16-17) Spiritual principles we need to understand in order to answer the question.

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

a. To whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves: Whatever you present yourself to obey, you become its slave. For example, if I "obey" my appetite constantly, I am a slave to it. So we have a choice in our slavery: sin leading to death or obedience leading to righteousness.

i. One way or another, we will serve somebody. The option to live our life without serving either sin or obedience isn't open to us.

b. Though you were slaves of sin: Paul puts it in the past tense because we have been freed from our slavery to sin. He also says that we have been set free by faith, which he describes as obedience from the heart. The faith is put in God's Word, which he describes as that form of doctrine. All in all, the point is clear: "You put your faith in God and His Word, and now you are set free. Now live every day consistent with that freedom."

i. As was seen earlier in Romans 6, we can be legally free and still choose to live like a prisoner. Paul has a simple command and encouragement for the Christian: be what you are.

ii. Obedience from the heart is a wonderful description of faith. It shows that faith comes from the heart, not only the mind. It shows that faith results in obedience because if we really believe something we will act according to that belief.

c. The phrase that form of doctrine is part of a beautiful picture. The word form describes a mold used to shape molten metal. The idea is that God wants to shape us - first He melts us by the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Then He pours us into His mold of truth - that form of doctrine and shapes us into His image.

i. Adam Clarke on that form of doctrine: "Here Christianity is represented under the notion of a mould, or die, into which they were cast, and from which they took the impression of its excellence. The figure upon this die is the image of God, righteousness and true holiness, which was stamped on their souls in believe the Gospel and receiving the Holy Ghost. The words … refer to the melting of metal, which, when it is liquefied, is cast into the mould, that it may receive the impression that is sunk or cut in the mould; and therefore the words may be literally translated, into which mould of doctrine ye have been cast. They were melted down under the preaching of the word, and then were capable of receiving the stamp of its purity."

3. (18) Why not then, occasionally sin? Because sin is not our master, and we no longer serve it.

And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

a. Having been set free from sin: What does it mean to be free from sin and to become a slave of righteousness? It means that sin is no longer your boss or your master. Now righteousness is your boss, so serve righteousness instead of sin. It isn't right to think about pleasing your old boss when you change jobs.

b. Slaves of righteousness: What does it mean to be a slave? A slave was more than an employee. Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest defines the ancient Greek word for a slave here by these terms:

- One born into a condition of slavery
- One whose will is swallowed up in the will of another
- One who is bound to the master with bounds that only death can break
- One who serves his master to the disregard of his own interest
The following was once true in regard to our slavery to sin:

- We were born as slaves to sin

- Our will was swallowed up and captive to the will of sin within us

- Our bondage to sin was so strong that only death - spiritually dying with Jesus on the cross - could break the bondage

- We were so enslaved to sin that we served it to the disregard of our own interest, even when sin destroyed us

Now the following is true in regard to our slavery to righteousness:

- We are born again, now as slaves to righteousness

- Our will is now swallowed up in the will of God. It is His will that matters to us, not our own

- We are bound to Jesus with bonds that only death can break; but since He has triumphed over death and given us eternal life, those bonds will never be broken!

- We now willingly serve Jesus to the disregard of our own interests

c. Because we have been set free from sin, we never have to sin again. Though sin is inevitable until our flesh is resurrected in glory, it isn't because God has designed a system by which we must sin.

i. Sinless perfection in this body is an illusion. The Apostle John made this clear in 1 John 1:8: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Yet we know that in the power of Jesus Christ, we can resist the next temptation - and that's all Jesus wants us to be concerned with.

ii. "Because of the frailty of man, the Christian at infrequent intervals does yield to the evil nature and sin. But the point is, God has so constituted him, that he need not do so." (Wuest)

d. It is mockery to tell a slave, "Don't behave as a slave" - but you can say that to someone who is set free. Jesus Christ tells us to no longer behave as if we were slaves to sin. We have been set free; now we are to think and live as free people.

4. (19-23) How to keep from enslaving ourselves.

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

a. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh: Paul apologizes for using slavery as an illustration, because it was so degrading and pervasive, and especially because many of his Roman readers were slaves. Yet he knows that this is an illustration that works well with his readers.

b. You presented your members … so now present: Paul repeats a point made earlier. First, present your members as slaves to righteousness. This means that we don't show up for work to our old boss.

i. Can you imagine? A new job, and the first day on the new job you leave work at lunch time and go to your old job and ask your old boss what he wants you to do. It just isn't right!

c. Lawlessness leading to more lawlessness: Paul describes a principle ingrained in human nature. Lawlessness leads to more lawlessness. Righteousness leads to holiness - which is more righteousness. This describes the dynamic power of our habits and how we move along in the direction we are pointed.

i. Think of four trees in a row: one at one year of growth, the second at five years, the third at ten years, and the last at 15 years. Which tree will be the most difficult to pull up out of the ground? Obviously, the longer we are rooted in a behavior the harder it is to uproot it - a principle that works both for good and evil.

d. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness: Paul's point is almost humorous. When we were slaves of sin, we were free all right - free in regard to righteousness. Some freedom!

e. What fruit did you have then: To walk in victory over sin, we must think rightly about the fruit of sin. The end of those things is death: The end product of sin is death - not fun. But the end product of righteousness is everlasting life.

i. In a time of temptation, these truths can seem unreal - so we must rely on our faith in these things, not on our feelings while being tempted.

ii. "Consider these three things:

1. How little fruit and satisfaction your former sins have afforded you in the very time of committing them.
2. How nothing but shame and sorrow doth follow upon the remembrance of them.
3. How death, yea, eternal death and damnation (unless pardoning grace and mercy prevent it,) will be the certain conclusion of them." (Poole)
f. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord: When you work for sin, your wages are death. When we serve God we get no pay - but He freely gives us the best benefit package imaginable.

i. Wages of sin: "Every sinner earns this by long, sore, and painful service. O! What pains do men take to get to hell! Early and late they toil at sin; and would not Divine justice be in their debt, if it did not pay them their due wages?" (Clarke)

g. Answering his question from Romans 6:15, Paul has made it clear: As believers, we have a change of ownership. The Christian is to fight against even occasional sin because we need to work for and under our new Master. It isn't appropriate for us to work for our old master.