Day 53 - Romans 4-6

Paul's argument in chapter 4 is that justification (our being declared righteous before the Judge of the Universe) is NOT based on works, but rather it is base on grace that comes to the individual through faith. If it is based upon grace, then this precludes salvation on the basis of works! It is impossible for salvation to be by grace and by works at the same time. These two ideas are mutually exclusive! Therefore, since it is by grace through faith, that faith cannot be a work! The other point that Paul is emphasizing here is that the promise of God to justify sinners by grace through faith came to Abraham before the external rite of circumcision was even established. Therefore, this promise is valid to both Jews and Gentiles! Therefore, this promise is not contingent upon external conformity to a ceremonial code, but rather on the heart of the individual.

There are so many very precious verses in the first part of chapter 5! We can be at peace with God because of Jesus Christ (vs1). God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (vs5). God didn't just love us, He manifested that love by giving Jesus to be our Savior Substitute when we were still His enemies (vs8). These are wonderful truths, but I'd like to focus a bit on the last part of chapter 5. It is in these verses that the somewhat controversial subject of "Original Sin" is discussed. This is the idea that because of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden, all those that have descended from Adam are born sinners. In other words, a person doesn't even have to commit an actual sin to be considered a sinner by God. The reality is that we don't become a sinner when we sin, but rather we sin because we are sinners. For some, this is troublesome because it seems to put all men at an unfair disadvantage right off the bat. None of us had a chance even from our birth. It seems to hold all of us accountable for something that we had no part in. However, though this is true, the contrast here is simply glorious. Just as all who are in Adam are condemned, so also all who are in Christ are justified. You see, for those who would say, "If Adam did it, then why am I guilty?", I respond, "If Christ did it, then why are you now innocent?" The point I'm trying to make here is that if you have a problem with a "federal" view of condemnation where one man's sin "ruins" it for all others after him, then you will have a problem with the "federal" view of justification where one man's obedience secures justification for all who are in Him. If you reject this "federal" view, then you are first of all denying what the Bible clearly teaches here in Romans 5, but also, secondly, you end up making it necessary for you to earn your own righteousness for your salvation, something in which we all miserably fail! Paul's argument is clear here in this chapter--all in Adam die, all in Christ are made alive! Praise the Lord for the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ!

Chapter 6 takes the truths of chapters 3-5 and gives them legs! In other words, all this talk about the inability of man to save himself, the fact that salvation is not by works, but by grace through faith, the fact that we are at peace with God because of Jesus Christ did for us on our behalf, all this talk is not just window-dressing. It's not just something to sit around and admire. These truths have an effect on the way that we live our lives! This effect is namely that we should therefore no longer live in the sin from which we have been saved! The transformation that occurs at salvation is so radical that it not only changes us inside, but it changes us outside as well. While this outward change is not the means to our salvation, it certainly is an outflow of our salvation! Therefore, if there is not an outward change, one must wonder if there really has been an inward change. Examine yourself to see if you really are in the faith! Let's be diligent in considering ourselves dead to sin an alive to God as servants of righteousness!